Ronnie Kanalelo has explained why he decided to leave African Stars for Marumo Gallants, with the opportunity to coach in the Betway Premiership presenting a chance to work in an environment more suited to his football philosophy.
Kanalelo joined Gallants after guiding African Stars to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, bringing his experience in Namibian football to a club
looking to improve its fortunes in South Africa’s topflight. Speaking exclusively to the
Siya crew, the coach admitted that the decision to make the move was a straightforward one, highlighting the differences between the
professional structures in South African and Namibian football. “It was a straightforward decision. Who would not want to coach in the
PSL?” Kanalelo told the Siya crew.
“When you compare it with coaching a Namibian team that is not operating at a fully professional level, there is a big difference.
Namibian clubs are still struggling to adapt to how football is run in the modern world. “In Namibia, the Premier League is played
almost like a youth league, where teams can play two matches over a weekend, on Saturday and Sunday. My methodology and
way of working are also not in line with how football is administered in Namibia. For me, coming here is in line with how I want to
work as a coach.” The experienced tactician also pointed to his previous involvement with the Namibian national team, having attended the Africa
Cup of Nations on three occasions as an assistant coach, as evidence of his experience
at international level. Kanalelo believes the move to South Africa gives him an opportunity to apply the methods and standards he has developed throughout his coaching career in an environment that aligns more closely with his approach to the game. “I’ve worked with the
national team and been to the Africa Cup of Nations as an ,assistant coach three times.
I’ve worked at the highest level in Namibia with the national team, and I know the standards required. We did fairly well in
those environments.
“So, why not here? What is the difference? As long as you are working in the way you believe the game should be approached, it is an opportunity to put those methods into practice.”
