Dan Malesela On Gallants’ Potential Exits

May 30, 2022

Marumo Gallants coach Daniel “Dan Dance” Malesela says they’re trying all they can to keep the squad they have at the club as it would make coaching and progress easier.

Gallants showed Mamelodi Sundowns flames when the two met in the Nedbank Cup final, however, they eventually conceded a late goal in the extra time to lose the match to the treble winners.

There are already names that have been linked with exits such as Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo and Katlego Otladisa. Miguel Timm will see his contract ending and despite rumours of having signed a pre-contract with Sekhukhune United, Malesela hopes that they can retain him.

“A lot of the players are still contracted to the club,” he told reporters.

“Nothing concrete has been table for any particular player. There are a few that obviously their contract is [running out], like obviously Miguel [Timm] is ending, but we’re trying to keep everybody.

“It will probably be difficult, even if people are contracted, but we’re trying to keep them. It makes coaching easy, it makes progress easier. You really don’t have to start afresh in terms of trying to solidify the philosophy.

“But like I said, you never know. If we can keep the majority of the players, than we’re one step ahead of a lot of things,”

“When you coaching clubs with limited resources, you must just cross your fingers and hope that you’re not losing players.”

Malesela’s troops went toe to toe with Sundowns who usually dominate almost all the games they play domestically. The former Chippa United coach said he trains his side to play the ball comfortably.

“Very difficult game but I think also very entertaining. This is probably what people want to watch when they see a final. When people say there’s a final, then this is exactly what people want to watch,” Malesela told SuperSport after the game.

“That’s what we’re trying to instill to the players because this thing of fear I’m trying to remove it because it’s a common thing in South Africa, players are scared of the ball.

“And we want to remove this thing to say players must feel free and entertain but the biggest thing is that if you take the boy out of the player, too much of the boy out of the player, then you’re taking the football out of him.

“What I mean is if he’s not going to play, as in to enjoy himself then that football will be gone. If you gonna be strict and say pass, pass, pass, let’s play straight forward and all of that then the South African footballer won’t enjoy football.”