FORMER Bafana Bafana mentor Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba says going down to coach in the National First Division (NFD) is not a downgrade for him.
Mashaba joined NFD strugglers Witbank Spurs last month and he has been given until the end of the season to help the Mpumalanga-based outfit avoid relegation to the ABC Motsepe League.
The 68-year-old becomes the fourth coach for Spurs this season as he follows the likes of Sammy Troughton, Rahman Gumbo, Vusi Mkhatshwa as well as chairman Themba Mafu, who also took charge of the technical area in November last year.
Mashaba was dismissed from his Bafana job in December 2016 after a drawn-out disciplinary process, which in the end found him guilty of gross misconduct, insubordination and bringing Safa into disrepute.
He has not been in any coaching job since then, except for being one of the talent scouts for the Nedbank Ke Yona team alongside Owen Da Gama and Khabo Zondo.
Mashaba has been in charge of Spurs in two games. He lost his first match 2-1 to Cape Umoya and guided his side to a 1-0 win over Maccabi FC in Dobsonville, Soweto, at the weekend.
“You know people will always have their different opinion. My expertise in coaching is in junior soccer. I have unearthed players from ground up to the stars,” said Mashaba.
“I have a huge impact in club football. I have coached Vaal Reef Stars, Manning Rangers, Free State Stars, you can’t tell me that I can’t do it. I don’t know what people say unfortunately. I graduated early, my intelligence were far more than club level. That’s why I had to take the national team.”
Spurs are rooted at the bottom of the NFD log with 15 points from 17 outings.
Mashaba admitted that he is facing a tough task, but believes they can dodge the dreaded relegation axe.
He said: “It’s a hell of a task to do, but we are focusing more on the boys training and match intelligence. Those two things will make a huge difference, something must compliment something.
“There are good players in this team and they are capable of moving the club from where it is to the top. If we could win five more games, then we will be able to breath.”
