Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs continue to produce great players from the club’s youth academy and remarkably, at the helm of the talent identification programme is assistant coach Arthur Zwane.
When coach Gavin Hunt was fired eight months into his contract in May, Zwane was roped in as caretaker coach, with many Amakhosi faithful clamouring that he be given an opportunity to take over the reins as head coach.
It was not be after Anglo-Scot coach Stuart Baxter was roped in for his second stint at Naturena.
The Meadowlands, Soweto- born Zwane, 47, has the reputation of identifying, working and nurturing young talent from the time he was appointed to guide the Diski Challenge reserve side, until becoming the sacked Hunt’s assistant last September.
As things stand, a number of Chiefs’ young star players, among them keeper Bruce Bvuma, defenders Siyabonga Ngezana, Happy Mashiane, Njabulo Blom and Given Thibedi, midfielders Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Sabelo Radebe, who recently joined the first team, have all made the transition under the tutelage of “10111”, as Zwane is affectionately known.
Besides his knack to get the best out of youngsters, the former Jomo Cosmos and Chiefs right-winger, together with Dillon Sheppard, was in charge of the final two DStv Premiership matches last season and won both against Golden Arrows and TS Galaxy, also taking the team to the final of the CAF Champions League from the semis.
The Glamour Boys’ reserve team coach is glowingly credited by all the players promoted to the first side for the confidence and belief he instilled in them to realise their potential and ability to become superstars at the club, and beyond.
On the Soweto giants’ website, Zwane is still listed first among their development coaches, together with Donald “Ace” Khuse, Jimmy Jambo and Tshidiso Letsholonyane, despite Molefi Ntseki’s appointment as head of technical and youth development academy. Former Chiefs assistant and acclaimed development coach Farouk Khan said a development coach or talent scout must be mindful of what they are looking for in a player, as there is a huge difference between being skilful and being able to perform in match situations.
“A player must know and understand when, where and how to apply their skills,” he said.
“We have an abundance of talent in this country but we notice and identify talented players late in their football paths, when they are old at the age of 14, 15 or 16. It is important to identify a player at a younger age, at six, and monitor them, move with them up the age groups, while guiding them all the way.” Khan said it was a sad state of affairs in the country because nothing was happening at school sport level, where talent identification was crucial.
“As scouts, it takes 10 to 15 years to have an eye for talent identification because we must know that every player is different, their mindset is different, they come from different backgrounds, you must be flexible and not paint the players with the same brush. Not every child comes from a rich family.”
Khan made the example of Brazil, where they had 60 youngsters at the Brazilian Academy when he was there in 1992, pointing out that the country is benefitting financially because it exports players to top European leagues and to other parts of the world as a result of identifying talent at a young age through its strong football development structures.
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