LAST season, he did double duty as a player and a coach, and it was not easy to balance the two roles.
Now, at the age of 36, Morgan Shivambu has decided to hang up his boots to focus on his new role as coach on a full-time basis.
The former Moroka Swallows defender serves as assistant coach to Joel Masutha for newly promoted Premier Soccer League outfit Black Leopards.
The newly retired player commands respect and is looking forward to assisting Masutha.
Shivambu helped Lidoda Duvha reach the PSL promotion play-offs in the 2017-18 season.
The Limpopo outfit defeated fellow National First Division side Jomo Cosmos as well as Platinum Stars in the three-team mini-league to return to the top division.
Shivambu never really harboured ambitions of becoming a coach but then the opportunity presented itself at Leopards.
He will be learning the ropes as Leopards make their return to the PSL in the 2018-19 season.
Said Shivambu: “I have hung up my boots, I am done playing. I have to focus on my new career as a coach. It will be easy for me, as I have been working with coach Joel in this role for the past six months and I’ve known some of the players for five years. I am not new to the Leopards setup.”
He admits he never thought he would become a coach. But these days many players are venturing into the business of coaching football after retirement.
Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Patrick Mabedi, Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy and Maritzburg United head coach Fadlu Davids are just some of the prominent coaches to have made the career move straight after hanging up their boots.
Said Shivambu: “To be honest, I never thought I would go into coaching after retirement. It’s a big step for me and I decided to take it.
“I merely wanted to retire at the age of 37 but the club has now convinced me to take on this new challenge on a full-time basis.”
Former Polokwane City coach and now assistant coach Bernard Molekwa also inspired Shivambu to take on this new role.
Shivambu is currently completing a beginners’ coaching course and wants to acquire his Uefa A coaching licence in future.
