For all the doubts that might have greeted Phuti Mohafe when he took over on an interim head coach at Polokwane City in November 2023, none of it exists now.
As unfashionable as some have him as being, Mohafe has left his work to do the talking for him at Polokwane.
READ: Pirates in tricky travel test
A position eight finish last season ahead of Kaizer Chiefs is on the way to being improved this term with Rise and Shine enjoying the comforts of third place as the campaign meanders towards the halfway stage.
With such, the former Mabopane Young Masters and Witbank Spurs defender is on his way to completing his first full season as head coach at this level.
Mohafe will turn 51 in March and stay on until the end of the season still with the club after being shown all confidence in what he is doing.
His earnings at Polokwane might not compare to plenty of his colleagues in the league, but what matters is that he is doing a better job on a shoe-string budget squad against coaches earning up to 10 times as much.
"Phuti is a good coach adding another dimension to the league by showing that you can still compete with less resources," says a contact who has taken interest.
"The fact is that he knows his way around this coaching business as he is doing it with whatever he is given.
"His team is showing us how much work goes into what they do at training, which is centred on fitness, speed, and making quick use of the ball.
"His indefinite leave to remain is deserved because everyone is taking notice now.
"Credit to the boss, Johnny Mogaladi, for believing in a coach like him when it could have been easy to turn to a European," the contact adds.
READ | FIGURES: The amount due to Nurkovic from Royal AM
Since taking over from Lehlohonolo Seema, Mohafe has overseen 35 games, winning seven of the last 14 in the league to earn that third place standing.
Mohafe works with Brice Aka as his assistant, goalkeeper coach Dominic Ramokgopa, and fitness trainer Tsosholosho Manamela.