Manana urges ex-players to consider office work

Former Springbok forward-turned-sports administrator Thando Manana has urged ex-professional athletes to venture into administration and give back to the sports they played for. 

There's consensus in SA sports that there's a lack of skilled administrators, and that former players usually turn their backs on behind-the-desk careers in favour of being coaches or TV pundits.

Some former athletes who have turned administrators include bodybuilder Kaya Majeke, former Boks captain John Smit, swimming great Natalie du Toit and current Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee.

On the other hand, Manana has been general manager at the Eastern Province Rugby Union and chairman of the SA Rugby Employers’ Organisation (Sareo). He is currently the Blue Bulls Company special projects manager. 

Manana shared how he transitioned into sports administration. “Back in the day, a pen and paper were my things; I would take notes and then had an interest in what was going on, especially in those AGMs at clubs. That was an opportunity to look for information, accountability and honesty in the information being told," said Manana.

The former Bok said the low number of former athletes-turned-admins worries him, saying not all of them can make it as TV analysts or coaches.

"It worries me sometimes, I say that because you find players who previously played rugby tend to run away from the responsibility of putting pen to paper, writing at the offices and all of these things," Manana said.

“I always run into past players; you can’t all be analysts on TV, and not everyone can be coaches, you need people who will be in offices to make sure that there’s development, especially for women.

“We understand their reasoning when they make observations and weigh the scales, they feel like they will be delayed, but there’s space for ex-players to be administrators. When you’re in administration, you become a better person and empower yourself through a lot of things; you educate yourself about a lot of issues.

“A lot of players don’t know about finances or how the company has done; you get the chance to learn because you are working with people who specialise in that essence.

“I want to urge men and women not to run away from serving in the sports they played," he said.