Ex-PSL coach: Chairman walked into the change room and…
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Ex-PSL coach: Chairman walked into the change room and…
Oct 24, 2026 – 09:58 am
By Kickoff writer
In this edition of Locker Room Secrets, PSL coach Zeca Marques reveals to KickOff what he has witnessed during his time coaching in domestic football.
Out of all the clubs you’ve coached, where did you enjoy your job the most?
The most satisfactory was at Moroka Swallows, even though they all had the same challenges. But Swallows brought the most enjoyment because of the group of players we had and the success that we achieved
What is the most chaotic thing you’ve witnessed in a PSL club’s locker room during half-time when your team was losing?
A chairman walked into the change room to give a team talk. He just walked in and said, ‘I want to talk to the team’, and then he gave a team talk. It was half-time. Of course, I was not happy with that because what the chairmen say doesn’t make sense most of the time. And the players, they just look at each other and they carry on.
PSL club chairmen are notoriously hands-on. Did you ever receive a call or text message from a club chairman at half-time, hinting at a substitution?
There’s only one club where the chairman used to do that. The kit manager used to come to me with a piece of paper. It was always a piece of paper written, ‘Player A must come out for Player B’ that was handed over to me. Sometimes what was written on it made sense; sometimes I would just put it in my pocket and move on. In South Africa, club owners are surrounded by friends who give them advice during a game, and the chairman listens to them. They get influenced by outsiders.
What is the biggest lie or misconception fans and journalists believe about how a PSL club operates behind the scenes?
That they are perfect. And they are not perfect. A lot of them are disorganized.
It exists worldwide. As a coach, if you manage the group well and remain fair, you will minimize the Player Power.
Who is the best player you coached who never reached their full potential?
Lerato Chabangu. [He was] misled by friends. Choosing short-term satisfaction comes with long-term distraction.
Both away change rooms in the Soweto Derbies when Swallows played Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates.
What is the best piece of advice another PSL coach has given you after the final whistle?
No one ever gave me advice. Coaches survive on other people’s downfall, so they will never advise you. They really don’t care about you. It’s the survival of the fittest.”
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