For Ronnie Kanalelo, walking back into Loftus Versfeld was never going to be an ordinary coaching assignment. The Marumo Gallants head coach admitted that returning to Mamelodi Sundowns, the only professional club he represented during his playing career, stirred deeply personal emotions. Kanalelo spent nearly a decade at Chloorkop after joining in 1997, departing at the beginning of 2006, and the passage of time did little to diminish the connection he feels with the Tshwane giants.

Speaking to iDiski Times, Kanalelo was candid about the significance of the occasion. "I'm emotional about it, I only had one professional team in my career, I spent a lot of time here, coming in 1997, I left here in the beginning of 2006 – so that's a long time, of course when you come here, you feel something," he explained. The familiar surroundings of the stadium and the sight of supporters who had remained loyal since his playing days brought back a flood of memories from a career that saw him win three league titles and several domestic honours with the Brazilians.

Yet Kanalelo was careful to balance sentiment with professionalism. While acknowledging the emotional weight of the reunion, he stressed that his responsibilities now lie with Marumo Gallants, the club he took over in September 2026 following the departure of Phuti Mohafe. "You look at the stadium, remember the good games here, some of the same fans are still around – but it's the game of football, I'm in a different space now and that's where I have to give me all, it's about being a professional," he said. That professionalism was tested on the pitch as Sundowns secured a narrow 1-0 victory to eliminate Gallants from the Carling Knockout Cup.

The defeat added to the challenges facing Kanalelo at Gallants, who have struggled for consistency since his appointment. The Namibian tactician inherited a side rooted near the bottom of the Betway Premiership table and still searching for a first win under his guidance. Despite the difficult start, Kanalelo has remained focused on the task at hand, insisting that his emotional ties to Sundowns cannot distract from the work required to turn Gallants' fortunes around. His return to Loftus Versfeld was a reminder of his footballing past, but his immediate priority is building a better future with his current employers.

For Kanalelo, the reunion served as a poignant reminder of how far his journey has taken him. From a goalkeeper who spent almost a decade marshalling the Sundowns defence to a head coach tasked with reviving a struggling PSL side, the circle has come full. While the result on the pitch did not go his way, the experience of stepping back into the place he once called home offered a moment of reflection amid the pressures of management. As he put it, Sundowns was "my home for a very long time" – a home he will always cherish, even as he now pours his energy into a new chapter elsewhere.

Source https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2116496562570359268?a=ZgJ9rCocqMsqh5PLk7Y&s=19