NWU Mafikeng coach Thabo Makalakalane wants his team to prove that stylish football can also be winning football when Varsity Football kicks off next week.
Makalakalane spent most of his playing career with FC Zurich in Switzerland and represented South Africa in the early nineties before going on to coach the national women’s team – Banyana Banyana.
As a top coach with an impressive pedigree who has been involved at national level Makalakalane feels right at home at the NWU football institute in Mafikeng, and he is expecting great things from his charges in the upcoming Varsity Football campaign.
Makalakalane took NWU to the USSA final last year, where they lost out to eventual champions Tuks, and he is determined to see them go one better when Varsity Football action gets underway.
The experienced coach believes that it is vital to tap into the natural creativity and flair that South African players possess, and play a style of football that allows them to shine.
“We will be out to make a statement and take the initiative in this tournament. Our philosophy is to play creative football which showcases the abilities of our players,” he told varsitysportssa.com.
Whilst some teams in South Africa prefer to play a direct English style which relies on long balls and physicality, Makalakalane believes that technique is the most important thing and wants his team to play ‘carpet football’.
“In South Africa our players are not very big, but they are technically sound, so we will look to play to those strengths. Obviously we will have to adapt to the opposition, but we want to show elements of creativity in our game,” he explained.
With some fantastic talent and facilities at his disposal in Mafikeng, Makalakalane knows that much is expected of his team in this tournament and he has left nothing to chance.
“We have done a lot of homework, we have a good organised structure here and we are taking Varsity Football very seriously,” he said.
