Durban — TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic feels that South Africa boasts a lot of quality football coaches but also added that people should not underestimate the qualifications that foreign coaches boast.
Foreign coaches have come under fire in recent times due to several of them failing to make an impact on local shores and because many are journeymen who boast less than impressive records in Europe.
“South Africa has a lot of quality coaches. They could easily win games. I came and have tried my best. I am proud that I have a high qualification as a coach which is a Uefa Pro Licence. A lot of people don’t know what this involves. If you don’t have a Uefa Pro Licence, you can’t coach in Europe. It involves working as an assistant coach in Europe for three years. You then have to apply to a list of 500 from which only 20 are successful,” Ramovic told the media during a press conference on Thursday.
The 43-year-old Ramovic was a surprise appointment as Galaxy coach in October 2021, succeeding Owen Da Gama. The Rockets looked destined for a relegation battle when the German was appointed but in the end, he managed to lead them to a 13th place finish, finishing four points clear of the drop zone.
Ramovic has attracted praise due to his humility and was rewarded with a contract extension by Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi last month which keeps him on the club’s books until 2025.
Ramovic has said that he will be aiming for further improvement and targeting nothing less than a strong top eight finish for his side this season.
Galaxy begin their season with a home clash against AmaZulu at the Bidvest Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The game promises to be interesting as it may also feature up-and-coming youngster Ethan Brooks facing his former employers.
Brooks joined Usuthu from Galaxy while Xola Mlambo went in the other direction during the off season.
Mlambo will not feature due to suspension as a result of yellow cards accumulated while he was still at AmaZulu. However, he does expect the game to be a tough one.
“It will be a game of mistakes. Whoever makes fewer mistakes will win the game. Our team is determined and ambitious in terms of minimizing mistakes. We as Galaxy are looking forward to the game. It’s our home game and we look forward to welcoming AmaZulu,” said Mlambo.
IOL Sport