SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has revealed that Daine Klate, the
club’s three-time Premiership champion, has a future at the club. Klate,
who is now retired, began his coaching career in the topflight when he was
appointed head coach at Chippa United earlier this season, but his tenure
lasted only a couple of months.
Matthews told the Siya crew that SuperSport have a history of honouring
former players who have gone into coaching, such as Andre Arendse, Thabo
September, Grant Johnson and more recently Jabu Maluleka, who is helping
the first team with set pieces while also coaching the under-19 side.
“Daine would be the kind of candidate I would bring back to the club. If
you say to me ‘will Daine be part of the future of SuperSport United
Football Club?’ and you say to me ‘yes or no’, then I would say yes. There
is a future for Daine Klate at SuperSport. It’s not now, because we are
full and we just took Jabu (Maluleka) and I am steered by my head coach
and Gavin wanted Jabu in and we were comfortable with that,” Matthews
said.
Matthews went on to explain that Jabu was chosen ahead of other candidates
due to his conduct while at the club, both on and off the field.
“The reason Jabu was ahead of the other candidates was because of the way
Jabu left us. Even though he went to Polokwane City, it’s the way he
conducted himself while he was with us and how he behaved as a player at
training and off the field, with sponsors and management. The way he
conducted himself is the reason he is at the club. But you don’t see that
a lot in footballers today. Footballers today think they can behave with
impunity and say and do what they like,” Matthews added.
Klate is a SuperSport United legend, having won three consecutive
Premiership titles with the Tshwane outfit, as well as knockout
competitions under Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt. While there are no
positions open at SuperSport at the moment, Matthews seemed sure that
Klate would return to the club in future.
