Coaching a club in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is one of the most thankless jobs in the world. This means that you always have to have your suitcase ready in case club bosses decides to pull the trigger, or when he feels like shunting you on special leave. Or even as far as putting you on the back burner and tells you to attend to “family matters”.
The PSL is taking the direction of the English Premier League, where football is a staple diet even during the Christmas period. On Christmas Eve, there were two PSL matches played. This means the players and the coaches have had very limited time with their families and friends.
Five PSL coaches shared with Sunday World how they were going to spend Christmas these holidays:
Back on Boxing Day
John Maduka (Royal AM): “I will be spending Christmas with my family, but football will be on my mind. We and the players are off on 24 and 25 December but we are back in training on Boxing Day. That’s because we are playing TS Galaxy on the 29th. It’s very little time to be with your loved ones. But to be honest, I will enjoy the short time with my family and make the most of it.”
Eric Tinkler (Cape Town City): “Eish, my friend it is not much of a break because we are getting two days only. It’s Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day – then we are back at work the following day. I will celebrate Christmas with the family, nothing big because there won’t be enough time.”
Branden Truter (Upington City FC): “I will be relaxing with family and friends. We will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord at home. There are no special plans because we are back training 27 December.”
Used to these type of sacrifices
Lehlohonolo Seema: “If you are in football, these are the sacrifices that you take and prices you pay. We will go to church, praise the Lord and then have Christmas lunch. And we also do not have much time because we have a game on the 28th December. On the 26th we are back in training.”
Clinton Larsen (Unattached): “At the moment I am home with the family. I am not sure how I will enjoy Christmas when I just got unemployed. There has been no contact from any club but this is football and anything can happen. I see there are coaches who have left their clubs and maybe something can open up. Maybe something will come soon, but for now there is nothing, no offer on the table, but a job is a job.”
