Sundowns veteran Mweene puts his hand up for goalkeeper coaching

Mamelodi Sundowns veteran Kennedy Mweene will venture into goalkeeper coaching when his playing days end.

The 38-year-old former Zambian international recently stepped into the coaching role in the absence of suspended goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson and he said he enjoyed working with his teammates in that capacity.

Mweene did goalkeeper-coaching duties in Downs' matches against Orlando Pirates and Richards Bay.

“Coach Wendell was suspended, so I was asked by coach Rulani Mokwena to help and that’s something that I did,” said Mweena during the Nedbank Cup last 16 draw in which they were pitted against Marumo Gallants in a repeat of last year’s final.

“To be honest, it wasn’t too difficult because there were familiar faces with me, people who I talk to every day. There was nothing hectic to do and it was business as usual.

“I enjoyed working as goalkeeper coach with the guys. When this opportunity was presented I grabbed it with both hands. It is something which came my way, my colleagues were making a bit of fun of me.

“But it was in a good way and this is something I will definitely consider after retiring, but at the moment I am still a player.”

Mweene said it was always part of his plan to become such a coach.

“Like any professional football player I have always wanted to be a coach and specialise in goalkeeping. Not only in South Africa, but even in my country [Zambia], we complain about the shortage of goalkeepers.

“As players, when we retire we want to be head coaches or assistant coaches, and we forget that we have a lot of experience that we can give back to up-and-coming goalkeepers.

“It is important that most of us who are towards the end of our careers consider doing coaching courses to help produce other goalkeepers.”

Looking ahead to the match against Marumo, Mweene said: “This is a cup game and we must not look at Marumo as a team that is struggling. They just scored four goals at the weekend and that should tell you a lot.

“They are not struggling, I think their problem is they have not been taking their chances. This is a tough draw for us, but we know what to expect from them [because] we played them last season in the final and we have already played them this season.”

Sundowns meet Coton Sport in their second Group B match on Friday night at Stade Omnisport Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon.

They started their group campaign with a 1-0 win over Al-Hilal at Loftus in Pretoria on Saturday.