Experienced coach Owen Da Gama has responded to allegations made against him by his former player at Orlando Pirates, Sepeke Manamela, who accused the 63-year-old of driving him to drink.
Manamela, who did not have a successful stint at Pirates, has come out to put the blame on Da Gama for his struggles at the time.
To read what the ex-midfielder had to say, in full, click on the following link: 'I started drinking at Pirates'
"It's unfortunate for a player to come out with such comments because I have coached some of the most skillful players in the country," Da Gama says.
"I coached Surprise Moriri, who wasn't fast or a hard runner but was one of the most skillful players. I discovered him in Tsakane, took him to Silver Stars, and he became one of the top players in South Africa.
"Lindokuhle Mbatha is another example of a very skillful player I worked with. I've had many skillful players, so it's unfortunate when a player looks for reasons why things did not go as planned for him.
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"I don't hate players; I love all my players. I don't show favouritism. I believe in giving everyone a fair chance. When I arrived at Pirates, the team was at the bottom of the log, and Sepeke Manamela was part of that struggling team.
"When I took over, Teko Modise had not scored a goal in South Africa, yet he became one of the top goal scorers at Pirates and for Bafana Bafana. He went on to be regarded as one of the best players in the country. It's unfortunate that Sepeke had to compete with talented players like Teko Modise among over 60 players at Pirates, especially as we had to trim the squad.
"Although Sepeke was a very skillful player, sometimes circumstances don't favour you. We had other talented players like Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi and Excellent Walaza. Sepeke also had to compete with the Malawian, Josephy Kamwendo, and Oupa Manyisa, a team that went on to win the treble twice after my tenure.
"From the start, my focus at Pirates was, 'I'm building a strong foundation.' When Ruud Krol took over after me, that foundation continued to succeed and won the treble twice. Sepeke must acknowledge that he was competing with quality players who went on to achieve great things.
"At Pirates, releasing a quality player is not easy. If the current coach were to go to the Pirates chairman and request the release of Relebohile Mofokeng, he would likely be fired the next day. At Pirates, you can't just let go of your best players.
"Nobody can make you drink or feel miserable. Unfortunately, in football, you must have strong character. This is the highest level, and Pirates is a very big club. I will never make a striker play like a defender. Dira had many injuries. When I joined Pirates, he was recovering at home, and I actually recalled him because Bibey Mutombo would send injured players home, not wanting them at Pirates.
"What Sepeke doesn't realize is that, as a coach at Pirates, you can't simply release a player; it's a management decision. We were just coaches there.
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"However, if you aren't successful at Pirates, why turn to alcohol? It's your career, so prove yourself elsewhere.
"Turning to alcohol shows a lack of character. Nobody can make you fail in life; you are the one who determines your own success. If Owen Da Gama doesn't want you, move on to another team and prove your worth."