Kjell Jonevret has the charisma‚ confidence and that bit of a colourful personality that South Africa football supporters warm to‚ and players react positively to.

The Swede who takes charge of Pirates for just his second game on Saturday seemingly unfazed that it is in the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium‚ is a likable guy.

He cracks jokes easily and slaps his Orlando Pirates players on the back with such enthusiasm you can imagine the recipient eliciting an uncomfortable inner wince.

It must take not just some brave character‚ but an intriguing and open-minded and inquisitive one too‚ to at 54 quite abruptly relocate himself and his family from Scandinavia‚ where he coached for 23 years‚ to the southern tip of Africa.

And not just to South Africa‚ but to Johannesburg. And not just Johannesburg‚ but to Pirates‚ an African giant with a complex back-room staff and iron-fisted chairman who has the nickname ‘Iron Duke’‚ which could be a dark character from a Marvel comic book series.

Every coach needs a new challenge at some stage. They all pursue it in their own manner. Jonevret admits he was seeking adventure joining a band of Buccaneers.

“I said that when I arrived here‚” the big Swede said this week.

“To leave Scandinavia and travel all the way to the other side of the globe and have a possibility to coach there.

“I have been to SA seven or eight times with different teams. And for me Orlando Pirates is a fantastic opportunity.

“So I’m really looking forward to this. This should be fantastic.

“I want to tell my grandchildren one day when they grow up‚ ‘We won the Soweto derby’.

“So I’m fully looking forward to it – I’m not afraid.”

Don’t think Jonevret is here for a jaunt though. This is no tourist operation.

He gives the impression of being a player’s coach. Someone who played for a long time and knows what players like in a coach‚ which is not necessarily to have someone trying to be their friend.

He’s genial‚ confident‚ has a glimmer in the eye and curl of the lip that forms easily into a cheeky grin. There’s an authority in his voice too.

Perhaps he’s a balanced version‚ somewhere in the centre‚ between the authoritarian but awkward Muhsin Ertugral‚ and grandfatherly but perhaps not commanding enough Augusto Palacios‚ Pirates’ two coaches this season.

Someone who will roll ups his sleeves‚ rally his shell-shocked‚ 10th-placed troops‚ and lead them over the top from the front‚ grinning in pleasure while he’s at it.

“I’m a little bit over 50. I’m very privileged to be someone who can work with my hobby‚” Jonevret said

“I played football my whole life. And after my career somebody asked me‚ ‘Do you want to help us?’‚ and I started coaching.

“And still clubs or people ask me‚ ‘Do you want to help us?’. And I mean‚ I’m so lucky to do that.

“But I have ideas. If I want it done that way‚ I will do that. I want to see myself in the mirror every night and say‚ ‘Good work Kjell‚ you did exactly what you should have today’.

“I try to be as professional as possible. And if you are that‚ you can sleep at night.

“But if you have to listen to all people around you who give you advice‚ and then you have to quit in a club or they fire you‚ then it’s much tougher because you arrived there from taking decisions that were not yours.

“So for me it’s very important that I do my thing. And as long as I can do my thing‚ I am confident.”

If his thing leads to Pirates winning‚ Jonevret will be nothing but a hit. A derby win also never goes out of place winning over Bucs’ most-passionate of fans.

- TMG Digital