Over the years, the three of them collaborated closely at SuperSport United; however, most recently, Johnson, the goalie coach for both Bafana and United, and Williams won the bronze medal in Cote d’Ivoire.
Arendse said that their connection serves as an example of how cultivating potential from a young age requires hard work and dedication.
“If I take Ronwen as an example, that is a success story that [proves] development can never have a price to it, and Ronwen is a typical example of the fact that development doesn’t happen overnight,” Arendse added.
“Coach Grant will be the first to tell you that he first worked with Ronwen at the age of 12, so that’s a sort-of lifetime, if you like, in development.”
Before William moved to Mamelodi Sundowns in July 2022, Arendse was a part of his career and currently serves as Gavin Hunt’s assistant coach in SuperSport.
However, he gives his teammate Johnson—who formerly played for the Manning Rangers and Orlando Pirates—much more credit. Johnson is a former elite goalie.
“The pleasing story about that is almost as if it’s come full circle, if I look at the relationship between Ronwen and Grant Johnson – where they started off together and now they’re winning podium places in the biggest tournament in African football,” he stated.
“Watching the two of them progress [to where they are today] has been a beautiful experience for me. I have seen firsthand both the beginning and the end of that process with Ronwen.
“And Ronwen has demonstrated that you can achieve your goals if you persevere. Now, where is he? As the captain of our national team, he has persevered throughout the process.”
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