Kanalelo: Marumo Gallants move offers coaching environment suited to his methods

Ronnie Kanalelo says joining Marumo Gallants from African Stars was a straightforward decision because South Africa’s professional football structure is better suited to his coaching philosophy.

Kanalelo made the move after guiding African Stars to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, taking his experience of Namibian football to a club aiming to improve its fortunes in the Betway Premiership.

The coach told the Siya crew that the chance to work in the PSL was a major factor in his decision, while also highlighting the contrast between the professional standards in South Africa and Namibia.

“It was a straightforward decision. Who would not want to coach in the PSL?” Kanalelo said.

“When you compare it with coaching a Namibian team that is not operating at a fully professional level, there is a big difference. Namibian clubs are still struggling to adapt to how football is run in the modern world.”

Kanalelo said the scheduling and administration of football in Namibia did not align with the way he wanted to work. He pointed to the structure of the Premier League, where teams can play twice in one weekend.

“In Namibia, the Premier League is played almost like a youth league, where teams can play two matches over a weekend, on Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

“My methodology and way of working are also not in line with how football is administered in Namibia. For me, coming here is in line with how I want to work as a coach.”

The experienced coach also cited his past work with the Namibian national team, including three Africa Cup of Nations appearances as an assistant coach, as evidence of his experience at international level.

Kanalelo believes that working in South Africa will allow him to implement the methods and standards he has developed during his career in an environment that is more closely aligned with his approach.

“I have worked with the national team and been to the Africa Cup of Nations as an assistant coach three times. I have worked at the highest level in Namibia with the national team, and I know the standards required. We did fairly well in those environments,” he added.

“So, why not here? What is the difference? As long as you are working in the way you believe the game should be approached, it is an opportunity to put those methods into practice.”