Bafana’s conditioning guru Kopano Melesi joins Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq
Bafana Bafana’s fitness and conditioning coach, Kopano Melesi, has secured a high-profile move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ettifaq, where he’ll work alongside Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard as Head of Performance.
Melesi’s announcement on X [formerly Twitter] marks a significant step in his career, which has steadily risen since he burst into the South African football scene in 2015 with Amajita.
“Pleased to announce that I have joined Al Ettifaq as Head of Performance. Thank you to @Ahmadhanfoosh for making this move possible,” he wrote on X. This was after the club announced his appointment on its social media platforms.
Melesi’s expertise, honed at Qatar’s ASPIRE Academy and through his long-standing involvement with South African national teams, has now earned him a coveted position at Al Ettifaq.
His journey began during his honours in Human Movement Science at the University of Free State, where he was mentored by industry leaders like Prof Derik Coetzee, the conditioning coach for the 2007 World Cup-winning Boks.
KOPANO MELESI JOINS AL ETTIFAQ
He credits Prof Coetzee with significantly shaping his development, providing invaluable insights and opportunities typically unavailable to students. These experiences, working with various national and professional teams, equipped Melesi with the confidence and skills needed to succeed in the field.
Melesi has also contributed to teams like the USSA U21, South African U20 and U23 sides and the Mahd Sports Academy in Saudi Arabia.
Though largely operating behind the scenes, Melesi’s impact was publicly recognised by Bafana head coach Hugo Broos during the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Broos emphasised the critical role Melesi played in ensuring the squad’s peak physical condition and recovery throughout the demanding tournament.
“Maybe now the physical coach is the most important,” Broos remarked, highlighting his contribution to analysing player performance and tailoring training programs to optimise fitness and minimise fatigue.
Bafana defender Siyanda Xulu also echoed Broos’ sentiments, crediting Melesi’s high-level training regimes for the team’s impressive physical performance.
“We have a very good conditioning coach in Kopano [Melesi]. He’s someone we’ve had for a while, and I’m sure it was a bit easier working with players he’s familiar with,” Xulu said.
Melesi joins Gerrard’s club as they begin the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League campaign. They play Knowledge Musona’s Al Akhdoud in their second match of the season on Wednesday.
Al Ettifaq started their campaign with a 1-0 against Al Shabab. Last season, they finished sixth and will be looking forward to improving their performance this season.
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