Enoch Nkwe said that he looks to draw inspiration from Pep Guardiola’s mentality in his approach with the Proteas.
The Proteas embark on their India tour next month, where they will play two three-match series’ – T20Is and Tests.
For interim team director, Nkwe, it will be a tough task trying to knock over the No 1 Test team in the world.
The result however won’t be the be-all-and-end-all for the former Lions title-winning coach.
“I understand that it’s going to be a big challenge, but I strongly believe that we can really make an immediate impact,” Nkwe said at his first official press conference.
“And if it doesn’t happen, it’s not going to be the end of the world. There’s always a big picture to everything.”
There has been comparisons drawn between CSA’s new structure and the structure in football.
Nkwe too found a way to draw inspiration from football, but from a coaching perspective.
He mentioned Guardiola as the level to aspire to for all sports coaches.
“He’s on another level,” Nkwe said of Guardiola.
“I’ve followed his work over the last couple of years. I just enjoy how he really backs his philosophy, his values as a person as a coach, and tries to set new boundaries and break records. That really encourages me, and when I see opportunities like this, it really excites me.
“There’s a lot of things you can always learn from different sporting codes. Just watching his growth over the years, having started coaching one of the biggest clubs in the world at the age of 37, it really did motivate me that, if he can do it, it is possible.”
Nkwe backs the Proteas and their chances to improve despite the difficult transition period they find themselves in.
“Certain things could take a while, and I don’t know how successful we can be in a short period of time, but I believe that we can make a quick turnaround,” he added.
“I strongly believe that we have the players to. But we need to identify the areas that held back the team not to perform to their full potential, and get them to perform as soon as possible.
“The trip to India, in charge of a team in transition, is not a suicide mission.
“I don’t feel it’s a suicide mission, to be honest. Personally, as a coach, I was asked a similar question when I took over the Lions.
“I strongly believe that every challenge is an opportunity for a person to thrive, or the team to thrive. It’s important for us as team management that we create that thriving environment as soon as possible.”
