Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela has opened up about what he prides himself on besides winning trophies during his 22-year coaching career.
The 56-year-old has been in charge at more than 10 clubs in the PSL top flight since 2002.
He has also held the SA Under-20, 23, and Bafana Bafana jobs. His most recognisable success was as senior coach at Mamelodi Sundowns. He was part of the Masandawana technical team that won the DStv Premiership title three times in succession.
Komphela helped Maritzburg United secure their first top-eight finish in their history during the 2014/15 season before his move to Kaizer Chiefs. The former Bafana captain also had decent tenures at now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars and Arrows during his first stint.
THE COACHING LEGACY THAT STEVE KOMPHELA WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED FOR
Speaking to the media after his first game in charge since his return to Arrows, Komphela has reflected on how he is not so much bothered about the silverware he collected but rather focused on the legacy he has made in the game.
“Go to Pep [Guardiola, go to [Jose] Mourinho, [Carlo] Ancelotti or any of these top coaches. They can show you any visible success, shining trophies in their cabinets. But they remain empty,” he said.
“But go to those coaches who will look back and say, how many coaches have I developed and he throws a full league of people he has developed. To me, the most important thing and I am saying this with the utmost respect, invincible success means more than visible success,” explained Komphela.
“Visible and shiny success of trophies I do have. I can mention them, but it’s not okay, Man. It’s like now I am calling myself. If I call myself, my phone will say the number is busy. So instead of doing that, try to reflect otherwise and also teach other Men that selflessness has a reward.
“Selfishness in its way, in as much as people are so selfish and do get rewarded, the reward to selfishness is not the same as the reward to selflessness. Selflessness is the ultimate of them all.
“The beauty is when you look at things and then say, but this was a seed, and then you are looking at the forest. I could be looking in my cabinet; some of them are there. They are rusty, they’re different medals, but what do they mean, man?”
GOLDEN ARROWS COACH ENCOURAGES SENIOR COACHES TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
“But when you go out, look at the likes of Paulus Masehe, Duncan Lechesa, Lehlohonolo Seema, Musa Nyatama, Vincent Kobola, etc. There are a lot of guys, even where I come from, at Swallows. I left Tiger [Ditheko] Mototo and Musa Nyatama. Listen, when I got there, I gave them the pin to my briefcase.
“I know of coaches we worked with; you would never get anywhere close to their briefcase. They create four pin codes for their laptops. They hide information like I am telling you, like a nuclear weapon pin code. No, man, open yourself up to let others suck as much as they can. Because the blood they suck out of you is blood that is going to be transferred to others for their growth and development.”
RELATED STORY: Inside Steve Komphela’s pre-game message that ignited Golden Arrows
