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Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela and his predecessor Stuart Baxter have paid tribute to Jeff Butler who died on the weekend.
Chiefs met SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday, and the game was preceded by a minute's silence as a mark of respect to the departed tactician.
Butler led Amakhosi to a number of titles in different spells between 1988 and 1996.
It was under Butler in 1992 that Komphela served as Bafana Bafana captain when South Africa emerged from sporting isolation.
"We had a wonderful opportunity and a unique one to work with Jeff," Komphela told the SowetanLIVE website.
"I worked with him at the national team, and that's where I also had an opportunity to captain South Africa.
"I played with great players there and Jeff used to motivate us.
"I remember at some stage Jeff even visited Free State Stars... and conducted a few sessions.
"He was a really unique person in terms of how he handled players and environments. And also his track record at Chiefs speaks volumes," said the former Bafana skipper.
Baxter has lot in common with compatriot Butler in that they both led the Soweto giants to league titles, and spent time coaching the national team.
"My condolences also to the family and friends of Jeff. I'm guessing that's quite a large family, and an extended one," said Baxter, now in charge of SuperSport United, and heavily linked with a return to the national team.
"I didn't have the pleasure of working with him or seeing him work.
"What I will say is that when anybody comes from abroad, to any country, if you're lucky, then that person will leave something.
"I think Jeff really did leave something behind him. And as Steve says, may we keep learning something from that," he said.
