Sekhukhune United's new signing Rivaldo Coetzee.
Image: BackpagePix
Rivaldo Coetzee’s bid to resurrect his professional career has started on a positive note for his new team Sekhukhune United, according to coach Eric Tinkler.
Coetzee, 29-years old, is one of the most talented footballers in the country, having attracted the attention of Scottish giants Glasgow Celtic whilst still a teenager, but for the deal to fall through at the last minute due to a chronic ACL injury.
It was only due to the faith shown in Coetzee by Mamelodi Sundowns who nursed him back to fitness where the technically gifted defender was able to show his class, winning five Betway Premiership titles with the Brazilians during his eight years at Chloorkop. However, after suffering further hamstring and groin issues at Sundowns that caused further time on the sidelines, he was eventually released at the end of last season.
Coetzee has been a free agent since before Tinkler allowed him to train with Sekhukhune United in a bid to return to full fitness.
Babina Noko eventually signed Coetzee on a short-term deal last week before handing the former Bafana Bafana international a debut in the 1-0 victory over Magesi FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
Coetzee came on as a second-half replacement for fellow veteran Daniel Cardoso.
“He has come through a lot. He has been with us for eight months and he has been training with us. When he arrived, he was quite big,” Tinkler said, after the victory that kept Sekhukhune in the hunt for a CAF Confederation Cup spot.
“I said to him, ‘we must set targets. If we get to those targets by December, then we can start considering you’ because I know the quality that he has.
"I think he has worked on it (shape) very well and I think he did well. We are a team that wants to be possession-based and we want to play out from the back and he brought that confidence.
“Every single pass he made went to a man. That’s the quality that he possesses. He reads the game very well. He understands the game, and his communication with his teammates is very good.”
During his time with Sundowns, Coetzee was often used both in defence and in the holding midfield role, and it's this versatility that will give Tinkler options moving forward. However, the former Cape Town City mentor only views Coetzee as a central defender at this stage of his progress.
“That’s the beauty of Rivaldo. He can play as a central defender or as a holding midfielder. Those are the two positions that are his strength,” he said.
“His vision from those positions is very good, I think for now centre back is where I will put him. I think it will be a little bit too early to throw him in the midfield. The intensity is very high, so gradually he can do both.”
Coetzee, meanwhile, was just relieved to get through his first outing unscathed.
“Well, I can only give credit to the boys because they have helped me so much to integrate into the team and manage these 45 minutes,” Coetzee said.
“It was a very tough game, and it’s always difficult to come in as a substitute, you know, because the intensity of the game is already high. But luckily, it was halftime, and everyone had to catch their second breath in the second half. It was a very good result for us because the win was important, and we will take it from here.”