Andre Arendse, interim coach at SuperSport United. | BackpagePix
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“Phakama Andre Arendse, Ixesha Lifikile (Rise, Andre Aredense, The time Has Come)!”
There’s no doubt that the legendary goalkeeper might have yearned to hear those words echoed. And so, have we!
Arendse has officially been appointed as the interim coach of SuperSport United until the end of the season, following the sacking of head coach Gavin Hunt.
Sure, the discerning football observer, including yours truly, will tell you it’s not the first time this call has been made by the club as he held the same role in April 2022.
He didn’t get the position permanently for the new season as the title treble winning coach with the club, Hunt, returned for his second stint.
But such is the timing of this season’s call and all that Arendse has acquired and learnt as coach, his recent appointment couldn't have been befitting for the man.
Arendse has the qualifications to coach Matsantsantsa a Pitori, having used his time off in the last few months to acquire his CAF B coaching license.
And while theory is important, he also has practical knowledge alright. He’s worked under the highest capped and most experienced mentor in SA football, Hunt.
‘Huntie’, before he was sacked due to a string of poor results, had just sat for his 1000th game in the dugout, crowning off a career that has spanned for almost three decades.
Arendse had worked as Hunt’s assistant coach in the last two-and-a-half seasons, while Grant Johnson was the team’s goalkeeper coach.
The experience that Arendse garnered during that reign must have been invaluable as it mustn't have been easy to transition from a goalkeeper coach to a right-hand man.
Under a coach like Hunt, every right hand-man must be on their toes. He has to step up when Hunt’s feathers are ruffled, resulting in him being red carded.
Arendse, as a result, had his fair share of holding the fort in the absence of his superior who was sent off twice this season to the stands.
Arendse struggled in those matches. But such have been the blowing winds of change, he’s now his own man and will be taking no orders from ‘the guy’ in the stands.
Johnson and Onismor Bhasera have been tasked with making sure they help Arendse to steer the team to safety and away from the relegation quagmire.
They should be able to do just that. After all, not only are they eager to impress and land their roles on a permanent basis, but they know the team like the back of their hands.
Arendse is backed by all and sundry to get his breakthrough as that’d be rightfully deserving for the man who’s done a lot for SA football.
Arendse is mostly known for his incredible exploits in the team that won the 1996 Afcon on home soil, but he did a lot for our football behind the scenes.
Among his other achievements, Arendse, who’s SA's second-highest capped goalkeeper (67), played a fundamental role in the honing of Africa’s No 1 Ronwen Williams.
But while it must be appealing for Arendse to see the rise of Williams over the years, he knows he can’t rest on his laurels now.
In fact, his job is cut out for him and has multiplied. He needs not only to steer SuperSport to clear waters, but continue getting the best out of everyone in the team across all boards.
Time is clearly not on Arendse's side as he has to achieve all that in the last nine games of the Betway Premiership season.
But such is the belief that some of us have in the abilities of Arendse as a coach and human-being, if there was anyone who can achieve those targets, it is him.
So, that’s why Arendse must duly step up and duly take his position at the main table because the time has come, starting in his first game against Cape Town City at home on Sunday!