People will always worry

Years ago, before he retired from the game, Thabo September stated that he did not want to be a coach. Life, however, had other plans. He became the coach of SuperSport United's DStv Diski Challenge side and then went on to take on arguably the most insecure job in the Betway Premiership at Chippa United. After leaving the Chilli Boys at the end of last season, September decided to take a different path and, with a business partner, bought a franchise in the ABC Motsepe League. Now the CEO at Komani FC in the Eastern Cape, September is determined to build a club that will produce some of the finest talent South African football has to offer. Soccer Laduma's Tshepang Mailwane spoke to September about his big decision to purchase a club and what the plans are going forward. He also confirms that he is done coaching.

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TM: What's your role at the club?

TS: I am the CEO.

TM: Interestingly, you worked with Stan Matthews at SuperSport United and he was known for being an astute CEO. What did you learn from him about running a football club?

TS: I learnt that a club is a business, first and foremost. But I also learnt that a club is a family. You are running people's households, in a way. You have to pay people so that they can feed their families. You must have the heart to balance business and the human side of things. There are relationships you need to build with the people around you and the partnerships you need to build for sponsorship. I also learnt that you should not be afraid to delegate because you miss things if you try to do everything by yourself.

TM: So, what does this mean for your coaching career?

TS: It means I am more of a technical person. I am no longer on the bench. I am no longer coaching. I am just an owner who is running a club and understands football. That's why I am doing my CAF A License now. When we are doing the development structures, I need to know what kind of coaches we need, and they need to know football. I

TM: What goes into running a club on a daily basis?

TS: There is a lot. You house players and transport them from the clubhouse to training on a daily basis and make sure that food is sorted out for them. And then there's running affairs, creating relationships with doctors in the area. We have a doctor that we are working with now, in case anything happens to the players. We also need to make sure there are training grounds available for the team. So, we run those logistics and then prepare for the weekend when we have a game. We also need to make sure salaries are paid at the end of the month.