Comment by Smiso Msomi
TS Galaxy may well be on their way to securing a sought-after finish in the DStv Premiership top eight at the end of the season, but it is their coach Sead Ramovic who has grabbed all the headlines.
The Rockets are sixth in the standings, having played 22 games of the 2023/2024 campaign, and have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch throughout the season.
In a period where there have been dramatic rivalries between coaches and consistent blasting of the officiating, Ramovic has been at the centre of it all.
It has been just three months since his much-publicised spat with Mamelodi Sundowns head honcho Rulani Mokwena, and a few weeks after that he called out the media for failing to acknowledge his side’s good set of results at the time.
In his latest spate of controversial quotes, he labelled the Premier Soccer League’s refereeing standards a “disgrace”, igniting one of the most talked about points of the weekend.
His sudden penchant for attention rests on a very thin line between an implosion that might disturb the club’s progress and providing his group with much-needed relief ahead of the tricky final stanza of the season.
The best managers in the world have adopted the most important component of modern-day coaches, which is using the power of the media to their advantage.
The likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp are frequently the most-discussed figures before and after football games for their usually contentious views.
While they may believe a huge majority of their utterances, most of it is assumed to be a defence mechanism for their players and changerooms.
All three of these Champions League winners have never hidden that they would always protect their players from any distractions or unwarranted criticism – a trait Ramovic may be adopting.
In essence, Ramovic may be attracting all of the attention to him as a means to remove it from his players as they continue their top-eight quest.
It is no secret that the ambitions of Galaxy will always include good runs in cup competitions, and one of those tournaments is the MTN8 next season.
🚨⚽️ NEXT MATCH! ⚽️🚨
— TS Galaxy FC (@TSGALAXYFC) April 23, 2024
TS Galaxy FC vs Moroka Swallows
🗓Date: 26 April 2024
🕑Time: 19:30 pm
🏟Location: Lucas Moripe Stadium@aQuelle @aQuelleViV#Siyadumuza #TheRockets #TSG pic.twitter.com/Sx6NoMGGH7
Galaxy, in sixth, have two games in hand over second-placed Stellenbosch FC, with a nine-point gap to make up for if they are to qualify for the CAF competitions for the second time in their history.
The last time The Rockets ventured onto the continent was in 2019, when they won the Nedbank Cup by beating Kaizer Chiefs, a stage Ramovic is desperate to get his side back to.
Next on their agenda is the visit of relegation-threatened Moroka Swallows, who will arrive ready for action at the Mbombela Stadium tomorrow night (7.30pm kick-off).
Having recently suffered back-to-back losses against Stellenbosch (2-1) and Chippa United (2-0), Ramovic will be looking for a proper response from his side.