Safa softens stance on introduction of coaching standards in PSL from next season

The South African Football Association (Safa) appears to have softened its stance on forging ahead with the introduction of coaching standards for Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs from next season. 

In December, Safa announced head coaches in the DStv Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship, otherwise known as the National First Division (NFD), would need to have a Caf A licence to sit on the bench from next season.

They said coaches in the ABC Motsepe League (third tier) and Hollywoodbets Super League (national women's league) would need a C licence and there would have to be regulation down to local football associations and universities.

But Safa — having been part of the Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP) workshop with PSL, NFD and Super League clubs attended by Caf head of professional football Muhammad Sidat and Safa president Danny Jordaan — has softened its stance.

Jordaan on Tuesday said he will check with Safa’s technical department regarding a request from PSL clubs to make courses available during the present off-season, when coaches are available for them. 

“I will have to check with the technical department because congress took a decision on this matter and that position is clear. It is just that there was a request from the league to say [clubs] want to send the coaches but can [Safa] find a gap in the season so we can make sure that they are compliant. 

“You must not come with a guillotine and say by September 5 you must have an A licence or you are unemployed. This is [coaches'] employment and they have no other source of income.” 

Safa has rolled out coaching courses in recent months, including for the Caf A, which was attended by PSL coaches including Steve Barker, Gavin Hunt and Eric Tinkler; Tlisane Motaung of NFD side University of Pretoria (Tuks) and other NFD coaches. 

Jordaan said this indicates how seriously Safa takes education of coaches. 

“The coach sitting on the bench must know what is happening in front of him on the pitch and that indicates he must be qualified. This was a matter discussed at length during the last joint liaison meeting [between Safa and the PSL],” Jordaan said.

“We had a joint liaison meeting on two consecutive weekends and this question about the requirement that the coach sitting on the bench must have a qualification is what Caf accepts. 

“We cannot have a situation where the coach is sitting in the stands when the team is playing a key Champions League match ... and there was a clear understanding that Safa must discuss this with the PSL to find out where there is a gap.

“Some of the things clubs raise is they can send their coaches but they work full time. They have asked us to find a gap in the season where coaches are available, like during this period of off-season. 

“You will see there is a programme to accelerate that process of delivering Caf A and B licence coaches and we are happy with the progress we have made so far because football cannot improve if you do not have qualified coaches.

“There is no coach who is going to coach in England, Germany or Spain without a professional licence and if we want to get there, we must set the standards.”