Kruger United boss Mongoya backs ‘father figure’ Masutha to guide top-flight debut

Kruger United coach Abram Mongoya says newly appointed assistant coach Joel Masutha has been brought in as an experienced “father figure” to steady a young backroom staff as the club prepares for its first season in the Betway Premiership.

Kruger, promoted to the South African top flight at the end of last season, moved quickly to strengthen their technical team by adding Masutha to work alongside Mongoya ahead of their debut campaign.

Speaking at the Betway Premiership launch this week, Mongoya stressed that Masutha’s experience and temperament were decisive factors in the appointment.

“Choosing coach Joel Masutha was trying to bring in a little bit of experience. You need a calm head. We’ve got a young technical staff, very ambitious and they can put in the hours. However, you need someone who is stable, a father figure role that can also give us the light,” he told reporters.

Masutha, who has predominantly worked as a head coach in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, will serve as Mongoya’s number two, but the Kruger boss insists there is no concern over status or hierarchy.

“He comes in and he is a very good human being, in my opinion. He has settled in and he is not worried about the positions. He is just worried about giving his best at training and leads the team well,” Mongoya said.

“I don’t have to worry. Even when I’m not around, I know the team is in good hands. Part of the reason we wanted coach Joel is because we’ve got Simon Marange, who is very good with junior players and coach Joel is very good with senior players, so it’s a blend of the two.”

Experience to balance ambition

Kruger’s technical team is built around youthful energy, and Mongoya believes the addition of Masutha will create the balance required to compete with established Premiership sides.

Masutha’s background in the Motsepe Foundation Championship means he is familiar with the pressures of promotion pushes and senior dressing rooms, while Marange’s strength with younger players gives Kruger what Mongoya views as a complementary mix of coaching profiles.

The head coach also emphasised that Masutha’s willingness to step into an assistant role, despite his history as a head coach, underlines the former’s commitment to the collective cause rather than personal status.

Opening test against Kaizer Chiefs

Kruger begin life in the Betway Premiership with a high-profile home fixture against Kaizer Chiefs at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, presenting an immediate examination of Mongoya and Masutha’s new partnership.

The clash with the Soweto giants offers the newcomers an early opportunity to measure themselves against one of South Africa’s most decorated clubs and to signal their intent in the topflight.

The match also comes with an additional subplot involving goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari. The Rwandan international is on loan at Kruger from Amakhosi, but the agreement between the clubs does not include any clause preventing him from facing his parent side.

That means Ntwari will be available for selection against Chiefs if Mongoya and his staff decide to include him in the matchday squad.

As Kruger prepare for their first campaign at this level, Mongoya is banking on Masutha’s composure, experience with senior professionals and “father figure” presence to help steer the club through the demands of Premiership football.