"Given their 150 years of history it is worth having a couple of years on the quiet side of success because they will always come back - and come back strong," former Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson expounded to one and all this past weekend.He was addressing the unrest among United fans, the privileged millions who have little idea of what it is to have "a couple of years on the quiet side of success" (the last piece of silverware was the 2013 season-opening Community Shield).What a shot in the arm, then, for incumbent Louis van Gaal (who was tasked with righting Moyes' wrongs), to have Fergie, a demigod in European football and the man who was at the helm for 26-and-a-half years; the man who brought unprecedented success to the club, earning himself post-retirement statues, a stand at Old Trafford named after him and a series of business masterclasses at Harvard University, to fight in his corner.There aren't too many right now.It has been particularly refreshing, then, to see that our two biggest clubs - Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates - who have been overshadowed by Mamelodi Sundowns this season, take a more mature view of their current struggles than their restless followers.Kaizer Motaung could have listened to the outcry over Chiefs' two cup final defeats under coach Steve Komphela - and early exits from the CAF Champions League and the Nedbank Cup at the hands of Orlando Pirates - and axed Komphela less than 10 months into the job.With a lack of obvious candidates strong enough to assume the massive role of head coach at Naturena, Motaung would presumably have turned to club icon Doctor Khumalo to see out the rest of the season; like Ryan Giggs after Moyes' sacking.Giggs had the benefit of learning under Ferguson (who has mentioned that Giggs would have been his successor had he retired earlier) and carried on the philosophy the club has been known for for decades.Khumalo wouldn't have enjoyed a similar education, even though he has worked with Championship-winning Stuart Baxter.Motaung's statements this week were the absolute antithesis of the modern-day rhetoric about sacking coaches at the earliest possible opportunity."Our supporters take it too far, instead of giving the coach time. In fact, when the team is not doing well that's when you want the supporters rallying behind them."If you are a chairman of a club, you must act like a leader. A leader must not be lost with the crowd, otherwise the whole thing collapses," argued the boss.Of course the same stance does not apply to the country's prevailing political climate; ahem, Mr Gwede Mantashe.Nor did it apply to the impasse at Chelsea during the first third of the English Premier League, when Jose Mourinho seemed to be burning bridges with all and sundry at Stamford Bridge.Situations vary. Motaung acknowledged that Amakhosi will have to be content with playing bridesmaid this time around, and that the squad needs sprucing up, with a few of the players on the wrong side of 30.That's leadership. And as clueless as Van Gaal and United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward seem to be when it comes to recruitment policy, look at how the introduction of youngsters such as Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard et al, have brought some feel-good back to Old Trafford.The Iron Duke at Orlando Pirates appears to be taking a similar approach to the Kaizer, trusting Eric Tinkler to lay foundations for future success.One hopes this is a sign that people are finally using their brains rather than bowing to the howling of the fans...