Geoffrey Toyana delighted with Titans return

Toyana returns to Supersport Park having been there as a player and assistant coach in the men’s team before, and says it’s a great opportunity to go back to a place he considers his home. 

He says he’s kept tabs on women’s cricket for the last while and believes he can also make a contribution to the team’s growth.

"This is a great opportunity for me to come back home, and I'm hoping that I can make a lasting impact on the women's team. I've been watching women's cricket, and it's something I feel I can do well in. 

"I met the ladies yesterday and I'm sure we will work well together and put this big brand on the map once again."

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While this will be Toyana’s first rodeo in women’s cricket, he says he did work with the women’s coach when he was still at Easterns. He added that coaching female teams is no different to coaching male ones, and the roles have the same principles.

Toyana replaces Pierre de Bruyn as coach of the Fidelity Titans, who only stayed for one season before being appointed head coach of the Netherlands national team. He says while he knows the previous coach very well personally, he brings his own coaching philosophy into the new role.

"Pierre is a good friend of mine and we've shared notes many times before. You can see that there is a structure in place over here because of his hard work, but I'm bringing in my own ideas, philosophies and values. I think my people-first philosophy will work with this special group," explained the new coach.

He also highlighted that women’s cricket has grown in leaps and bounds in the last five years, and is glad to see experienced coaches starting to afford it the respect it deserves.