Irvin Khoza mourns the loss of Busby babe Eddie Lewis
Khoza – 'Lewis death a massive loss'
Posted: 2011-05-02 18:18
Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza says Eddie Lewis’ death is a big loss and that the former Kaizer Chiefs, Wits University and Moroka Swallows coach was among the pathfinders of the professional game in South Africa.
“He joined the old National Professional Soccer League when it was not fashionable and when it was not clear in which direction the country was taking.
“His presence gave the confidence to sponsors at the time to back the league and he was already there when the NPSL went multi racial in 1976.
“It was at personal risk for him and others like him to come to the townships where whites needed permits. They had to try and beat the system and at times were detained at Langlaagte station.”
Khoza said Lewis had a major passion for the game and was a “credit” to football. “He always strove to put that English discipline into the game.”
Khoza said he would be remembered most for Wits' win over Chiefs in the 1978 Mainstay Cup and also for his role in advising a series of Bafana Bafana coaches.
“He was an influence on the direction of the game in the country. It’s a big loss. We thank God for the gift of his life,” Khoza tells KickOff.com.
The 76-year-old Lewis, who played league football in England for Manchester United, Preston North End, West Ham and Leyton Orient from 1952 to 1963, first came to South Africa in 1970.
He started at Wits University and Corinthians and then doubled up as coach of Chiefs, where he was first employed in September 1974, just months before they won the NPSL Championship.
He led Wits to the top rung of the old National Football League and had a further four spells as Chiefs coach, the last in 1985 when ironically his last game in charge was a 5-0 thrashing of Wits by Chiefs at the Orlando Stadium.
Arguably his greatest triumph was leading Wits to the Mainstay Cup title in 1978 with a 3-2 win over Chiefs. His other successes included winning the Bob Save Super Bowl with Moroka Swallows in 1989 when they trashed Mamelodi Sundowns 5-1 in the final.
He was also coach of Giant Blackpool, D’Alberton Callies, Manning Rangers and Free State Stars and had his last job at AmaZulu but could not save them from relegation in 2000.
After that he worked as television analyst at SuperSport and at Swallows as a technical advisor, where he was on the books up until his death.
: 2011-05-02 21:27
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