The Story behind the SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur Academy
VISION
The Supersport Tottenham Hotspur Academy’s vision is to develop young South
African talent to ultimately play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL); South
African Football Association’s (SAFA) development structures and
internationally.
The SSTHA houses the finest young talents from around the country. Young players
are accommodated on full board; lodging basis and all educational and life
skills is covered in full by SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur Academy.
This provides a platform where we can have maximum control of their inputs and
with top class coaching we can achieve our vision.
The dedicated men behind the Academy
The Academy Director
Winstanley Eric: The Englishman joined the SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur
Academy in October 2009. With his immense experience in the beautiful game, the
Barnsley-born-director is here to make sure that the boys are getting the best
football knowledge before graduating to the first team.
Wintanley’s personal information
Name: Eric Winstanley
Place of birth: Barnsley (hometown), England
Playing position: Central defender
Appearances: more than 600
Goals scored: More than 50
Clubs played for: Barnsley and Chesterfield
SENIOR CAREER
Played for the English youth international, played in the UEFA Youth Cup in
Romania in the early sixties, he toured Zambia during the FA close season for
three months in 1968, equipped with the UEFA A Coaching Certificate, landed
coaching job in his early twenties, worked in African countries such as Uganda
and Ethiopia, also coached Zanzibar Navy in Tanzania in 1977, coached Barnsley
in the 1996/97 when they gained promotion in the English premiership, left for
the Caribbean in 2001 and worked as a technical director for St Kitts, again in
2001, Barnsley organized him a testimonial game for all his services where
Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson brought his team over to play in the
celebration game (a proud moment according to Winstanley) he played against the
Great Manchester United team.
The Academy Manager and Head of Recruitment:
Mosoetsa Godfrey: The ex-school teacher who hails from the Free State
province is doing every job at the Laudium based academy ranging from sweeping
the floors to coaching. He guided the academy’s under15 and under17 sides where
he played in the Cup final tournaments and won the 2008 Vodacom Interschool
Challenge in Soweto.
The Castle team Coach
Kwanele Kopo: His notable achievement is some of the players that participated in the 2009
FIFA under20 World Cup in Egypt representing South Africa after losing 2-1 to
Ghana in an all African affair last 16 stage clash. The players are Mokotjo
Kamohelo, Erasmus Kermit and Khwela Philani. He also worked as an assistant to
the first team a few seasons ago.
The Under17 Coach
Kaitano Tembo: Kaizer, as he is affectionately called, played for
SuperSport United between 1998 and 2006 under the guidance of Roy Matthews,
Bruce Grobbelaar and the current Bafana Bafana assistant coach Pitso Mosimane.
He captained the both the United outfit and the Zimbabwe national squad during
his playing days. He participated in the African Cup of Nations hosted by
Tunisia in 2004. Under the mentorship of Mosimane Tembo won the Absa and SAA
Supa8 Cup finals, both in the 2004/05 season. The same season, Matsatsantsa were
the Coca-Cola Cup runners-up.
The Academy Kit-Manager
Mkumatela Basil: His key performance area is to make sure that all the
academy players are properly looked after regarding the boys’ playing attire. He
is also a qualified coach after completing the South African Football
Association (SAFA) Level 1 coaching course together with the United assistant
coach Thomas Madigage. To cut it short, he is versatile.
The Academy Medical Staff
Tsomele “Lebo” Lebogang: Lebo is the academy’s Sport Scientist. She
joined the academy on a fulltime basis in 2007. Her duties included injury
prevention, fitness training, treating acute injuries and most of all
coordinating medical issues at the academy. Although she is now with the academy
on a fulltime basis, she is one of the longest members in the Matsatsantsa
family after working with the first team in the past.
The Academy coordinator
Ballossini Giancarlo: He ensures that everything at the academy is on
track. His responsibilities include the players’ participation in the league,
the fixtures, the results, the Cup tournaments etc.
The Academy Administrator
Dladla Muziwakhe: This lad grew up playing football in the dusty streets
of Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni. He has the under17 Gauteng provincial colours after
being spotted playing for Boksburg FC and represented the South African tertiary
institutions. He also played for the Moroka Swallows under19 side in 2003. After
completing grade12 at the Graceland Education Centre in Germiston where he was a
head-boy, he went on to further his studies at the Thswane University of
Technology (TUT) doing the Sports Management course. Dladla also completed the
SAFA Introductory Coaching course under the guidance of Steve Coetzee and Khabo
Zondo.
The Transport and Logistics Department
Logistics Manager One
Nhlapo Sipho: All the academy boys like him; they call the Katlehong-born-logistics
manager “Jahman.” Nhlapo has different exciting stories about all the academy
boys dating back from 2004 in Johannesburg upon joining them before relocating
to Tshwane. He travelled with them as far as Lesotho, provinces such as Free
State, Northwest, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Logistics Manager Two
Motaung Elijah: They call him “Mlijo,” he always cracks jokes with the
boys and what they like most about the Balfour-born-manager is that he likes
playing loud music when they travel to and from the league and Cup matches in
the Gauteng province and the surrounding areas.
Dlala Matsatsantsa!
| SUPERSPORT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ACADEMY STRUCTURE |
Kwanele Kopo
Technical Advisor |
Godfrey Mosoetsa
Head of Recruitment and Education
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Giancarlo Ballossini
Academy Coordinator |
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| COACHING STAFF |
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Kwanele Kopo (Castle team coach) |
Kaitano Tembo (Under-19) |
Basil Mkumatela (Kit
Manager) |
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| BACKROOM STAFF |
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