Sekhukhune coach Peter Hyballa adjusting to life in SA, with help from Google

With a bit of help from Google, Sekhukhune United coach Peter Hyballa has been able to navigate the first few weeks of his tenure at the club. 

Apart from learning the complicated names of his players and officials, getting to know his new Johannesburg surroundings and analysing opposition teams, the well-travelled German has had a lot of Googling to do. 

Hyballa's migration to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) comes after being out of a job for 10 months after completing a nine-month stint with Dutch team NAC Breda, who he steered to sixth place in the second tier Eerste Divisie in the second half of the 2022-23 season.

“Every face was new to me and the hardest thing in my first week was to learn the names of the people I would be working with,” the 48-year-old coach said as Sekhukhune prepared to meet Cape Town City in their MTN8 quarterfinal at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday. 

“I have learnt a lot. I didn’t know much about how the players play and I had to read a lot on Google and Transfermarkt, but a pass is a pass in football.” 

Sekhukhune have been one of the busiest teams in the transfer market bringing in players including Njabulo Ngcobo, Relebogile Mokhuoane, Thabang Monare, Keletso Makgalwa and Shaune Mogaila. 

“I think the club did a good job on the new players and also the transfer of Elias Mokwana to Tunisian giants Espérance,” Hyballa said. 

“Mokwana’s move to Espérance is big for the club. On one hand you are sad because he is leaving but at the same time it is good for the player.

“I will see some players on Saturday against Cape Town City but I don’t want to talk about individuals.” 

The coach said he came to South Africa because he is brave. 

“I have been in many countries where I worked for many clubs with success, and sometimes I was also fired but it is part of the job as a coach. I think they [Sekhukhune] found me because I was open to go to another country. 

“I have worked in seven countries and this is my eighth and I am open [to working in foreign environments]. You need to be brave to go to another country and learn a new language and their style of football.

“I think they were searching for a brave coach, someone who will implement a new style but also adapt to an old style. When I got the call, I was ready. 

“I have received the question of how I am going to adapt to the South African football style, but I will go my way. It is not really adapting but the players are here to play football with the left and right foot, which is the same in Germany or in Europe. 

“Some things are a bit different, but the local staff have helped me a lot and I really like my players. Over the first five weeks we have trained a lot, sometimes twice a day with four to five hours on the pitch.” 

In a senior coaching career that started at Ramblers Windhoek in Namibia in 2002, Hyballa has been in charge of clubs including Red Bull Salzburg's reserves, Sturm Graz in Austria and NEC in the Dutch Eredivisie in 2016-17, though they were relegated that season.

Since then his jobs have included Wisła Kraków in Poland, Esbjerg fB in Denmark and AS Trenčín in Slovakia.

MTN8 quarterfinals

• August 10: Sekhukhune United v Cape Town City, Peter Mokaba Stadium (3pm)
• August 11: Mamelodi Sundowns v Polokwane City. Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium (3pm)