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news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile DECEMBER 2016 3

THE INSIDE SCOOP

I ncreasingly, sports journalism relies on press releases, tweets, institu-tional websites and pre-

arranged and tightly policed press conferences for the news that sports fans seek daily.

The doors to the decision-makers, coaches and the play-ers are gradually being shut. Almost all clubs now gener-ate their own news, but this is filtered to serve their own interests and not to properly inform.

It means that often reporters do not get to the bottom of sagas they should be properly explaining to the public. This is particularly true in soccer where issues crop up regularly but are never fully investigated by the sports press.

It is often a lack of resources or experience that is to blame, but mostly because of the firewalls that have been built to keep questions out.

The public is the immediate loser but, in the long run, the sport suffers too as the lack of

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KICK OFF, PO Box 16368, Vlaeberg 8018Tel: (021) 408 3525 Fax: (021) 408 3917Email: [email protected]: www.kickoff.comMobile: kickoff.com/mobileFacebook: Kick Off MagazineTwitter: @KickOffMagazineInstagram: @kickoffmagazine

KICK OFF TEAMACTING EDITORS: Mark Gleeson, Nick SaidDIGITAL EDITOR: Mark Herman BRAND MANAGER Themba MntamboREPORTERS Fabio De Dominicis, Chad Klate, Lovemore Moyo DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCERS Stephen Kihn, Grant BissetSENIOR DESIGNER Monique Petersen PRODUCTION MANAGER Kerry NashCONTRIBUTORS: Katherine Clulow, Keagan Dolly, Samindra Kunti, Robin-Duke Madlala, Akho Ntshanga, The Secret Footballer, Makhosonke ZumaFOUNDING EDITOR Mark Gleeson

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EDS LETTER

accountability and transpar-ency casts negative aspersions on the game itself. That leads to a loss of credibility, which impacts on the game’s ability to attract followers and spon-sors.

South African football is a much easier environ for report-ers to work than the English Premier League, for example, where access to role-players is almost negligible outside of press conferences.

But doors are closing as marketing agendas trump that of public interest. This is not a healthy state of affairs. The press does not help itself with rumours now deemed worthy of print, a lot of assump-tions made by reporters, less fact-checking and not much analysis.

You can almost understand the growing wariness. The first obligation of the media is to report first hand and it was to this end that KICK OFF sent Fabio De Dominicis to Egypt to cover Mamelodi Sundowns’

glorious triumph in the Cham-pions League.

He went independently and under our steam, but cleverly embedded himself in the same hotel as the club to be able to bring our readers first-hand insight. Sundowns could have blanked him and denied him any access. Some clubs would have done that. But they ap-preciated the task he had to ex-plain to readers back home the magnitude of the achievement of the winning the continent’s top club prize.

So they welcomed him and allowed him to speak to play-ers and coaches, helping us to produce this special edition that celebrates a wondrous moment in the history of South African football.

The real winner is the soccer-loving fans who now get to read and see what went on behind the scenes in Egypt and learn the inside secrets of success. We hope you enjoy this tribute.

Mark Gleeson, Acting Editor

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Mamelodi Sundowns players take in the atmosphere at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria ahead of their second leg CAF Champions League final.

6 Operation EgyptAn inside look into Sundowns’ tough final trip to Egypt, where their nine-month African safari culminated in glory.

12 Dolly’s diaryKeagan Dolly gives behind-the-scenes insight into the Downs camp on tour in Alexandria.

18 Mission accomplishedA delighted Pitso Mosimane’s first exclusive interview as a Champions League-winning coach.

20 Continental conquerorsExclusive images from the final as Sundowns braved testing conditions to lift the prestigious trophy.

24 Next stop: JapanSundowns will make history when they represent South Africa at the Club World Cup in Asia.

28 Chiefs’ dealingsHow effective have Kaizer Chiefs been in the transfer market in recent years?

32 In the ClubhouseKagisho Dikgacoi joins unique PSL homecoming list ... Plati-num Stars’ penalty-taking goalkeeper ... meet Thanda Royal Zulu’s goalscoring machine.

34 On the BallBidvest Wits’ foreigner dilemma ... Banyana prepare for Nations Cup ... Cole Alexander reveals his secrets.

38 Poster powerA commemorative pull-out of Sundowns’ victorious Champi-ons League-winning squad.

44 Zimbabwe’s continental dreamThe Warriors want to leave their mark at the Nations Cup.

48 Justice ChabalalaThe defender’s meteoric rise to the big-time at Pirates.

50 Kermit ErasmusWe catch up with the Rennes striker on life in France.

54 Joseph MakhanyaThe former Bucs skipper reflects on his career and fond memories with the Soweto giants.

56 Seydouba SoumahFrom Ajax Cape Town misfit to topscorer in Europe.

62 Thabo SenongThe ambitious coach hopes to unearth the next generation of South African stars.

64 Ultimate Guys’ DayAn enjoyable day out for a lucky group of KICK OFF and TopCar Magazine readers.

68 Readers writeYour views on the game’s biggest talking points.

70 Stuff we likeThe latest in popular gear and gadgets.

72 Laugh Out loudFootball can be a funny game …

74 Secret footballerInjuries result in a lot more than you think ...

CONTENTS | December 2016


INTERNATIONAL Battle of the Coaches

OPERATION EGYPT

FEATURE COVER STORY

news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile DECEMBER2016 7

INTERNATIONALBattle of the CoachesCOVER STORY

Take whatever image you have of a sun-filled holiday destination, the immense Giza pyramids protruding from a barren landscape, the emerald-

blue Nile river flowing by, or any other pre-conceived notions of what an away fixture in Egypt en route to CAF Champions League glory may be like.

Mamelodi Sundowns had none of that, as they stuck to their guns in trying conditions to achieve the coveted star.

Cairo is hot, dry and dusty, and covered in a brown haze as the squad touch down in the Egyptian capital, before a short connecting flight north to Alexandria. It’s been a long and tiring trip since their hero’s send-off at OR Tambo International, and the players are given the rest of their first day in Egypt to rest.

Barely a few hours since their arrival, and the South Africans already face their first dilemma: Zamalek have not given the team a venue to hold a training session, despite Masandawana’s kind hospitality in organising a stadium each day the Egyptians had been in South Africa a week prior. The Sundowns camp is up in arms, yet are not surprised at their opponent’s attempts at derailing their preparations ahead of the big final.

As is required when on tour, coach Pitso Mosimane avails himself for media interviews, discussing his side’s trip, preparations and mental state, considering Zamalek’s antics in failing

to provide a training venue for his team. He’s wearing a custom-made Sundowns jersey with the number 50 on the back, and the fixture, date and stadium name of Sunday’s final on the front. “I don’t know why they gave me the number 50 – it doesn’t mean anything to me. But what matters is what’s on the front,” he adds as he points to the Sundowns logo, before posing for a picture.

It’s two days before the final, yet as per Mosimane’s meticulous preparations, he’s ensured that all the day’s activities coincide exactly with the routine that the squad will go through on matchday, hence a later breakfast, light snack, and late lunch at 5pm.

The team will hold their first training session that night at 8.30pm, the exact time as kick-off on Sunday. As the team gather in the lobby before boarding the team bus ahead of training, a young Egyptian child – the son of a guest at the hotel – boldly approaches the Downs players and staff, happily high-fiving those slouched on the comfortable couches, before brazenly holding up the five fingers on his hand – each representing a Champions League title won by Zamalek – before flashing a cheeky grin and disappearing around the corner, much to the amusement of the squad.

The training session is closed to all media and outsiders as Pitso

Mamelodi Sundowns did what no other South African club have managed in the past 21 years – win Africa’s premier club prize, the Champions League, after a tough

away trip to Egyptian giants Zamalek. KICK OFF’s Fabio De Dominicis was with the team for the entire duration of their stay in Alexandria, and gives his account of what went on behind the scenes as the Brazilians claimed Africa’s biggest accolade.

BY FABIO DE DOMINICIS



finalises his tactical plays, and the team is whisked away in a bus with the description ‘Golden WINNER traveller’ emblazoned on the side – tempting fate, perhaps?

The roar of the bus engine echoes through the lobby at 11pm, signalling the team’s return – but the day is not over yet as all the players are immediately ushered into a room for a video analysis session, reviewing the first leg final in Atteridgeville and discussing the team’s strong and weak points, while scrutinising Zamalek’s set-up as well. Various members of the squad dutifully oblige as hotel patrons eagerly ask for selfies as they walk by.

Sundowns conduct their last training session in Egypt at the Borg El Arab Stadium – the venue of the final. They’re all set to leave the hotel, and the lobby is abuzz with officials, management and police. Outside, clumps of stern-looking Egyptians are involved in concentrated discussions, with three jeep police cars – all filled with masked, rifled and black-clothed policemen – already flashing their blue lights as the players file out the doors and into the bus.

The nine-car entourage, led by the captain of security in an unmarked, tinted-windowed car, departs the hotel complex and joins the two-lane highway. Sirens pierce the evening air as the convoy speeds along, the police cars cutting off any traffic the team bus takes a sharp turn and heads towards the military stadium. Thirty minutes later the entourage reaches the stadium gates, where dozens of army officials move large cones and

of management – Zamalek has yet to confirm the 40 VIP tickets, and 400 supporters’ tickets allocated to the travelling party, who are now unsure whether they’ll be

allowed to enter the stadium. Legal and Commercial manager

Yugesh Singh is on his phone, frantically trying to contact CAF, who are not providing much help, with the matter only being resolved much later in the day.

A pleasant surprise awaits the players after breakfast, as MetroFM’s DJ Naves makes an appearance – the born-and-bred Mamelodi Sundowns fan has paid his own way to Egypt, not wanting to miss the historic occasion, and is invited in to meet the players, who are thrilled to pose for the customary photographs.

The rest of the day continues in very much the same routine as the previous two days for the players, except some skip the optional 1pm snack – they’re too nervous to eat.

At 4.30pm the squad gathers for the pre-match team-talk, where the starting eleven is announced, after which the players return to their rooms to prepare for the match, shower and don their dapper suits before making their way downstairs.

One journalist attempts to stick his iPad into the team bus for a shot, yet is hastily shoved away by a Downs official. A pocket of Sundowns supporters stand singing next to the bus, cheering for each player by name as he boards.

The full entourage departs at 6.30pm under heavy security presence - 20 cars in total: eight police cars and vans, with a police motorbike leading the way. What starts out as a single-line convoy soon gets dangerously congested, with each vehicle trying to keep as close as possible to the team bus, which has the greater police protection surrounding it.

The bright stadium lights appear in the distance, and fortunately there aren’t any fans on the side of the road to intimidate the team – all home fans had to be inside the stadium by 7pm ahead of the 8.30pm kick-off.

Army personnel line the streets and

FEATURE COVER STORY

(Above) South African chef Patrick Ndukuya added a taste of home in every meal.

barricades aside and make way as the team bus speeds past.

Inside, the Egyptian press already have their cameras rolling as the players disembark and head out onto the pitch. All of a sudden there’s a buzz surrounding Pitso, who’s involved himself in a tiff with a CAF official – he’s was upset after CAF held a workshop regarding the logistics of the final, as well as the draw regarding the home and away fixtures of the continental showdown, to which Sundowns were not invited too.

A press conference is set for 8pm, 30 minutes before the scheduled training session, but they’re now running late and Pitso is agitated. In the press conference room, a large contingent of South African journalists are seated, having just flown in from Joburg … they too have not had it easy, with two sets of camera equipment confiscated at Cairo Airport after the crew tried to film the arrival of the 140 Sundowns supporters club owner Patrice Motsepe had paid to bring to Egypt.

The crew would only have their equipment returned on Monday – the day after the final.

There is a visible sense of tension in the air at the hotel the next morning – the high fives and handshakes aren’t as jovial as the previous days as players and staff gather for 10am breakfast. There’s a look of concern on the faces

“60 000 ZAMALEK FANS ARE IN FULL VOICE...”

(Below) The players get a feel of the pitch during training on the eve of the final.


INTERNATIONALBattle of the Coaches

gate entrances – 5000 in total have been brought in for the match.

The un-mistakable roar of the crowd bounces off the walls and reverberates around the inside of the stadium. From the stands, a close to 60 000 Zamalek fans are in full voice, chanting, shouting, jumping, waving their scarves and Egyptian flags. A large banner on the railing reads “Zamalek Ultras”, and next to it, another that reads “4/0” – the score necessary for Zamalek to overturn the first-leg deficit.

The Sundowns squad walk onto the grass for the pitch inspection and immediately the jeers and whistles escalate from the stands. The squad has not yet crossed the athletics track and passed the touchline when they are pierced by four bright green laser beams, carried by unlawful fans seated across the stadium.

The whistles and jeers continue for the entire duration of the pitch inspection, yet turn into an indescribable roar as the Zamalek players sprint onto the grass for the warm ups. The ultras then begin a chant en masse, all jumping in unison and waving their scarves.

The stadium clock strikes 8.20pm as the CAF and FIFA banners lead the two teams out before the customary handshakes between the players – the only time any sort of friendly behaviour would be seen over the 90 minutes.

Not five minutes into the game and smoke, followed by blinding red sparks,

emerge in pockets around where the ultras are seated as they begin lighting flares. One is thrown towards the Sundowns goal, but is immediately doused by security personal who stand in line, two metres apart, around the entire field, with clumps of helmet and shield-bearing guards seated at each corner of the stadium.

Every decision that goes against the hosts is met by a threatening jeer, the partisan crowd shouting what must surely be profanities in Arabic at Gambian referee Bakary Gassama, who remains firm amid protests from the home team.

Masandawana supporters try make themselves heard above the whistling

of the hosts. The humdrum of continuous noise, chants and clapping is endless as Downs are time and time again put under the cosh, with Pitso at the edge of the area shouting and waving his hands, telling his side to keep calm. He sends his substitutes to go warm up behind the goals, with the players immediately hurled with water bottles from the stands.

At halftime in the media box, all the South African journalists that have travelled congregate, discussing the game so far. Some are typing away furiously while others cannot help but chain smoke throughout, not at all concerned to find out if the stadium is a smoke free zone or not.

FEATURECOVER STORY COVER STORY

(Above) DJ Naves pays the Downs camp a visit on matchday.

Surprise visitorThe morning of the final saw the Sundowns camp receive a surprise visitor: MetroFM’s DJ Naves, who met with the players and took photographs with the team after breakfast.

“I’ve been a Sundowns fan since I was a young kid – I think I still have a poster from when I was 12 that Isaac Shai signed for me,” he reveals. “I thought, we’d never get a chance to see this in my lifetime, so I cancelled my work for the weekend and flew out to Egypt to see it myself!”

The local DJ – full name is Lebogang Naves – was thrilled with Downs’ victory, and feels the club has set a precedent in South African football.

“In South Africa, we’ve never taken playing in Africa very seriously, so this win highlights the fact that we can take on teams in Africa,” he said. “For such a long time, each time we heard Al Ahly, Enyimba, Zamalek and TP Mazembe, we were always wary and afraid, but this is proof that we can now do more and stamp our authority on African football.”

(Below) Khama Billiat and Denis Onyango in deep concentration as they enter the pitch.



The home fans have quietened down considerably, with the Downs fans in full voice during the half-time interval, with the homely vuvuzela sound being trumpeted and keeping the visitors in high spirits.

The Zamalek ultras hit back with their constant roar at the start of the second half as they continue their un-ending support of their team.

A loud bang pierces the night air as fireworks are lit, accompanied by more flares as the ultras look to get behind their team again, and it seems to work: on 64 minutes, a strike from range by Stanley Ohawuchi spills underneath Wayne Sandilands and Zamalek are a goal to the good.

The stadium explodes, the rapturous noise increases exponentially as the expectant supporters begin to believe once more.

Yet time is running out for the Egyptians, and on 85 minutes Emmanuel Mayuka misses a huge chance which is followed by a communal grown from the crowd. Two minutes later, a desperate shot from way out the box goes horribly wide, signally the growing frustration and near acceptance that this year will not bring a sixth continental crown.

Shortly thereafter, noticeable pockets of fans start streaming towards the exits as the heavily-armed security guards march their way to their allocated positions around the two dugouts.

The 90 minutes are up, with every South African in the stadium screwing their eyes towards the fourth official who raises the digital scoreboard: four minutes. Four minutes for Sundowns to hold on and become continental champions. The masses are now flooding out the stadium, yet the ultras keep going in one last hoorah before finally conceding defeat.

Two hundred and forty agonising seconds later, the Gambian official blows the final whistle, and there’s absolute pandemonium from the Sundowns bench and players.

Mosimane looks up and beats his breast on top of the Sundowns badge, as players embrace, high-five and shout with unparalled joy.

Patrice Motsepe has a permanent smile across his face as players wave the South African flag with pride.

Following the medal ceremony, Hlompho Kekana proudly lifts the club’s

first-ever Champions League cup, albeit in front of a now empty stadium, with the ultras not sticking around to see their South African rivals celebrate at their demise.

The players then move onto the piece of track directly in front of their supporters and celebrate in song with them, as cameras flash, the obligatory selfies are attempted and the reality of victory starts to set in.

The mandatory press conference follows, as coach Mosimane is joined by star winger Keagan Dolly. Mosimane talks about the game, but hits back strongly when asked by an Egyptian journalist whether his side were using time-wasting tactics.

“Are you serious? Oh, you are not happy. I understand from the jersey you are wearing, I understand. My goalkeeper was down, you [Zamalek] kicked him in the head. You hurt my number one goalkeeper,” he said.

“We don’t waste time. We play fair.”Motsepe enters the changeroom

to speak with his players and after a lengthy chat, the players eventually emerge and joyously make their way onto the bus.

A sniper standing on top of a military van leads the convoy out the stadium. Traffic is halted and streets have been cordoned off as the entourage whizzes past, eager to return

“WE DON’T WASTE TIME. WE PLAY FAIR.”

(Above) Pitso celebrates with his charges in the dressing room after the game.

FEATURE COVER STORY

to the comfort of the hotel to continue the celebrations.

Yet it’s a very unceremonious party for most, with the pure emotion and realisation of continental glory taking its toll in draining everybody involved. The bus only arrives at the hotel just before 1am, and the players head back to their room to shower, chill and bask in their glory.

Some can’t stop looking at their winners’ medal, with midfielder Tiyani Mabunda rumoured to have slept with his medal around his neck. Management stick around for a few drinks, but retire soon after.

It’s understandably a late start the next morning, with only the players who featured in the final called in for a regeneration session at the pool. Only eight pitch up – Mabunda still wearing his medal, and almost jumps into the pool with it still around his neck – while others have overslept and have not emerged from their rooms. But let them be, they’re African champions.

Everyone appears for breakfast later, all in their own time, before packing up their belongings and meeting in the hotel lobby one final time. Most are on their phone, checking social media and reactions to their victory while others are playing music, joking with one another and portraying a winners’ smile. KOPI

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INTERNATIONALBattle of the CoachesMAMELODI SUNDOWNS 2016 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS

FIRST ROUND vs Chicken Inn Johannesburg to Harare - 1 021km

SECOND ROUND vs AC Leopards Johannesburg to Pointe Noire – 2 933km Pointe Noire to Dolisie – 157km

GROUP PHASE vs Enyimba Johannesburg to Lagos – 4 472km Lagos to Port Harcourt – 488km

THIRD ROUND vs AS Vita Club

Johannesburg to Kinshasa

– 2 768km

GROUP PHASE vs Zamalek Johannesburg to Cairo

- 6 247km

FINAL vs Zamalek Johannesburg

to Cairo - 6 247km Cairo to Alexandria

- 178km

GROUP PHASE vs ES Setif Johannesburg to Algiers – 7 405km

Algiers to Setif – 221km

SEMI-FINAL vs Zesco United

Johannesburg to Ndola

– 1 474km

SUNDOWNS’ JOURNEY TO SUCCESSThe new African champions travelled a total of 67 222km, more than once around the world, to win the top prize in African football.




Dolly’sDiary

Thursday, October 20We flew on EgyptAir to Cairo. I sat next to Khama Billiat, Rheece Evans and Asavela Mbekile on the flight. Khama is a crazy guy, always making jokes and laughing. I tried watching “Burnt” – a cooking movie, as there wasn’t much to watch – but I then fell asleep and slept right through – I didn’t even wake up to eat.

The next thing I knew, I woke up and we had landed. We took a connecting flight, just the team, which was very short, only an hour – but I slept through that as well.

I’m rooming with Samuel Julies – I’ve known him since

2006, and we grew up together in the School of Excellence. We always talk about our memories together in the school, and how we moved together to the development academy of Sundowns.

Samuel is a cool guy – I always enjoy hanging out with him. Funny enough, we are both coloured but speak Zulu to each other. He’s from Kimberley, so I don’t know how we manage to speak Zulu to each other!

We had lunch at around 3pm as most guys were still sleeping and

We then took a bus to the hotel. For our first trip to Zamalek in the group stages, we had stayed in Cairo, so this was my first time in Alexandria. It’s quite similar, very warm and humid, and the conditions are very similar to what we have in South Africa. It’s cool to see new places, and see what the people here in Egypt get up to and get to know their culture.

We arrived at the hotel around 10am and went straight to breakfast – most of us were tired, so we didn’thave much to eat. After that we wereshown to our rooms, and most of usslept through the rest of the day.

FEATURE KEAGAN DOLLY



WORDS KEAGAN DOLLY

Dolly’sDiary

Mamelodi Sundowns star Keagan

Dolly takes KICK OFF’s Fabio De

Dominicis through a personal journey

of each day spent in Alexandria as

the Brazilians brought home their

first-ever continental crown.

rooms and played more PlayStation, and went to bed around 11pm.

Friday, October 21I woke up at around 9am, with breakfast at 9.30am. As we follow the same schedule as matchday, our meals usually consist of the same things: breakfast is cereal, boiled, scrambled or poached eggs,

tired. After that I decided to play PlayStation – which I brought on the trip – against Sibusiso Vilakazi. I played as Leicester City, as I like a challenge – playing as Barcelona all the time makes it too easy. Vila played with Barca though, and beat me a few times.

I’m addicted to my phone – I’m always on social media, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook – I enjoy watching funny videos people post on there. That’s what I do in my down time, or just chill in my room – it’s the place to be with the PlayStation. Normally Khama, Hlompho, Denis, Themba Zwane,

Percy Tau and Vilakazi all come to my room and it gets quite full.

Vila is quite competitive and doesn’t like losing. I think I’m the best gamer in the squad, on my day.

I also listen to a lot of music – mostly Hip Hop, sometimes House music. And before games, sometimes Gospel. But mostly Hip Hop, while on the bus going to the stadium.

At round 7pm we came down for supper, and then went back to our

“KHAMA IS A CRAZY GUY, ALWAYS MAKING JOKES AND LAUGHING.”

KEAGAN DOLLY

The view from Dolly’s balcony at the team hotel in Alexandria.



sausages – no bacon as we’re in a Muslim country – juice and coffee.

Then for our light snacks there’s muffins, sandwiches and finger snacks. Late lunch, which is our pre-match meal, consists of pasta, chicken, fish and vegetables. Supper is rice and meat usually. My favourite meal is pasta – mac and cheese – but not every day as you get tired of it.

After breakfast we returned to our rooms, and we started playing PlayStation again, as there was nothing else to do. I also listened to music and talked to my girlfriend and family at home.

At around 1pm we had a light snack, after which we chilled again in our rooms until 5.30pm, when we gathered for a late lunch just before

training. At 7pm we had a video session, going through our corrections of the first leg against Zamalek at home, and at 8pm we left for training.

There were a lot of police cars around the team bus – it felt cool, and it’s things you only see in movies. I don’t know if it was needed for the police to take us there, but you never know, for security reasons.

We did our warm-ups, after which we just focused on Zamalek and our game plan and what we need to do in different match situations. The conditions here are not too different to what we’re used to in South Africa – it’s quite humid, almost like playing in Durban.

There were flies everywhere, but we’ll have to get used to that. But these things are the reason we came early to Egypt, to get used to the conditions, and having been here before helps as well.

We only got back from training at around 11pm, and then had a video session after that as well. We had a late supper, and then went back to our rooms, showered and slept.

Saturday, October 22Today was pretty much the same procedure – we had breakfast at 10am, and then I slept for a bit as I was tired after the late training and video session.

We had a light snack again at 1.30pm, and in the afternoon I had a KICK OFF shoot in the room – it was really fun, just letting the people know what we up to. It’s not every day that they see what we do in camp, and how our rooms look and everything, so I think that’s good for the people.

In the evening, we left for the El Borg Arab Stadium for a training session at final venue. It was good preparation mentally, to see the stadium, and then also the pitch to


MY ROOMMATEVirtually inseparable, Keagan Dolly (KD) and Samuel Julies (SJ) room together on every tour, and reveal what goes on behind the bedroom door …KO: Who’s the tidiest?KD: I think Samuel – but we had to tidy up a bit before you came into the room! It was a mess. When you go to boarding school, you become lazy and throw everything everywhere. But Samuel is the tidiest.SJ: I agree!KO: Who snores the loudest?KD: I don’t think I snore. My girlfriend says I don’t snore …SJ: This guy woke me up the other day with his snoring.KD: [laughing] He’s lying! But I can’t say if Samuel snores – I never hear him as when I sleep, I’m knocked out.KO: What nicknames do you have for each other?KD: I call him Sammy or Dumbayi – a nickname he’s had since the School of Excellence days. Most people know him as that. SJ: My lighty! I call him ‘Choo-choo’, from back in the day.KD: ‘Choo-choo’ is actually a nickname that came from Westbury – they still know me there as that. When I was younger I used to have these pyjamas that I’d want to wear every day, and it had little trains on them with the words ‘Choo-choo’, so that’s how the nickname came about.

(Above) Dolly claims to be the best PlayStation gamer in the Downs squad.

(Below) Messing around in one of the equipmnt carrier bags brought on the trip.



know what boots to wear. My new boots hadn’t arrived – I had

seen the other sponsored footballers with the new colourway, and I really wanted to use them, especially for the final. I was stressing as I really wanted to practise in them, and not play in new boots on matchday. Luckily I got them just before training and they were very comfortable.

The stadium itself was very big, and we knew it would be full and the fans would be hostile come the final, but we are used to those things. The grass on the pitch was a bit thick, but it allowed us to play – it wasn’t bumpy, we could pass the ball and play our football.

After training, we had a late supper and went straight to bed.

Sunday, October 24Matchday. Waking up I was relaxed, checking social media on my phone, the usual. I didn’t go to our ususal 1pm snack as I was sleeping. Only when I woke up around 3pm I realised it was the day of the final, and that all our hard work, perseverance and travelling boiled down to this day.

I started getting nervous, and I remember speaking to my girlfriend and telling her that, but she helped calm me down, and my dad as well. I tried telling myself it was just a normal game, but I knew it wasn’t.

DJ Naves came to visit us in the morning as well – he’s a big Sundowns fan, and I’ve known him for a while. And seeing him come, as well as the minister [Fikile Mbalula] and the club president [Patrice Motsepe] and the few supporters as well, gave us that extra bit of motivation to work even harder during the game.

Before the pre-match meal, I was listening to Gospel music – Kirk Franklin. At 4.30pm we had our pre-match talk and the team was announced.

At 5.30pm we had our pre-match meal, and then went back to our rooms to get suited up. To be honest, I’m not a suit guy – I like being comfortable. We then boarded the team bus.

For the first few minutes on the bus, people had their earphones in and were listening to music, and trying to focus. As we approached the stadium, we started singing, to get the anxiety and fear out of us.

Once we got to the stadium, everyone was hyped up. We went straight to the dressing room, and didn’t actually see how packed it was. After dropping off our bags, we went out for the pitch inspection.

That’s when it hit me … there were whistles, people screaming and throwing bottles on the field, lasers, everything – they really tried to scare us, and personally, it did really scare me.

But doing that before our warm up and absorbing the atmosphere was key for us, so when we went out for the warm-up, we knew what to expect from the Zamalek supporters.

Before the first whistle, all I was thinking about was getting my first touch and making it count. I feel your first touch determines how the match will go for you.

As the game went on, I knew the longer we kept it at 0-0, the better our chances were, and taking that scoreline into half-time, I knew we had a proper chance of winning.

At half-time, Pitso told us we were doing well and dealing well with the pressure Zamalek put us under.

In the second half, after conceding, I just saw fireworks, people jumping up and down and taking their jerseys off. But I wasn’t nervous, and just focused even more, and told the guys if we score one, everything changes again.

I looked up at the clock around the 77th minute mark, and knew if we continued defending the way we were, we’d win.

At the final whistle, I ran to Hlompho Kekana first, shouting, hugging and jumping up and down. We were overjoyed. Then we were

FEATUREKEAGAN DOLLY

LIVING THE DREAMDolly has progressed in leaps and bounds following the return to his boyhood club after a four-year stint at Ajax Cape Town.

“It’s been a crazy year for me ... I still can’t believe where I am,” he says. “In the space of a few months, I won the league with Sundowns, I’ve been at the Olympics, I played in the MTN8 final and won the Champions League – what more can I ask for? This is what I dreamt of when I started playing football.

“Moving to Sundowns gave me the platform to win trophies, and was one of the best decisions I took for my career. With the teammates I have, I’m constantly motivated and learn from them daily.”

The speedy winger was included in a list of 30 nominees for the 2016 African Player of the Year award, and feels just the nomination itself is an achievement.

“Being nominated for CAF Player of the Year, with people I look up to like Riyad Mahrez, means the world to me, even if I might not stand a chance of winning because the other nominees are playing at the highest level of the game,” he says. “But just being part of the list means something huge to me.”

(Below) Celebrating victory with fellow CAF Player of the Year nominee Khama Billiat.

“ALL I WAS THINKING ABOUT WAS GETTING MY FIRST TOUCH... I FEEL YOUR FIRST TOUCH DETER-MINES HOW THE MATCH WILL GO FOR YOU.”



presented our medals and each of us got a turn to lift the trophy – it was very light, I was expecting to struggle as I’m a small guy, but I could carry it with one hand.

But it was amazing, living through that moment. Then we went to celebrate in front of our travelling supporters – they deserve it all, coming all the way to Egypt, and we just wanted to make them happy.

I was then called for the post-match press conference, so I missed a bit of the celebrations. All I was thinking of at the press conference was what my teammates were doing. I was almost falling asleep, sitting there listening to them translate, looking at one guy writing in Arabic, and was really just wanting to be back in the dressing room.

When I got back, we were still waiting for Hlompho and Wayne Sandilands to return from their doping test – it takes a long time to pee after a game. So we were just waiting, playing music, singing, taking pictures and enjoying the moment.

Then the Minister came in and had a word, and our president as well – let’s keep what he said to ourselves. – all good things, obviously. Coach Shakes [Mashaba] was there too, telling us our happy they all are and how proud we made the country. And coach Pitso thanked us for bringing him this far and giving him this opportunity. We were all over the moon and excited, laughing and making jokes.

It was very quiet on the bus back to the hotel as everything sank in, just thinking about the whole campaign and talking about how tough the game was. I sat next to Samuel on the bus, for each trip – wherever he is, I am.

We arrived back at the hotel at around 1am, dropped off our bags and had supper – we had pap, from a chef brought in from South Africa.

I hardly ate, because throughout camp we can’t have dessert. But on the last day they bring everything, so I went straight for dessert – I have a sweet tooth – and didn’t eat anything else. Cake, chocolate mousse … I just had a party.

After that, we went back to our rooms to shower. Then a few guys came to my room and we played a few games of PlayStation – after a game, I can never sleep. I only fell asleep around 7am.

Monday, October 24We had a regeneration session at the pool in the morning, but I couldn’t wake up, and slept straight through. Then it was breakfast, after which we left the hotel for Cairo just after midday, before heading home the next day as the new champions of Africa. KO

MY TEAMMATESKeagan Dolly gives us the inside track of the star-studded Sundowns squad.Who eats the most? Khama Billiat – even though he’s so small, he eats a lot and is always eating. There’s a few guys though that love their food: Themba Zwane is always closest to the food while we praying so that he’s first in the queue, and Siyanda Zwane as well.Who’s always late?Muzi Mashaba – he comes to training any time he wants to.Who sleeps the most?Hlompho Kekana – he sleeps a lot. And every time you see him, he’s always tired. On the bus, even if it’s a five-minute trip, he’ll be sleeping.Who’s always on their phone?That has to be me. I’m one of them, along with Teko Modise … mostly logged in to social media.Who’s the toughest tackler?Siyanda Zwane and Hlompho Kekana – they both get stuck in and don’t hold back.Who’s the joker of the squad?This whole team. You’d expect people to be serious when you see them from a distance, but even older guys like Denis Onyango and Anthony Laffor joke around. Khama and myself always like to prank people, and I like to tease everyone – it’s a happy camp, and you can joke with everyone in the team. But Themba Zwane is the number one joker – that guy is crazy, I think there’s something wrong with him.Who’s the fastest?We have a few – Thapelo Morena is quite fast. Asavela Mbekile, Rheece Evans, myself, Khama, Tebogo Langerman … but I think it has to be between Rheece or Mbekile.Who’s the most fashionable?That’s obviously Teko Modise – there’s no arguing that. He’s always on point and knows how to dress, and matches his clothes well.Who has the wisest words?A few of the older guys – Wayne Sandilands is one of the guys you can always talk to, and will always encourage you. And Teko Modise as well … most of the experienced guys, as they’ve been in the game and understand different situations.

“I WENT STRAIGHT FOR THE DESSERT, AND DIDN’T EAT ANYTHING ELSE.”

(Below) Kissing the surprisingly light CAF Champions League trophy.


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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has finally achieved what he set out to do four years ago, and delivered the coveted star at Chloorkop.


KING OF AFRICA‘Why has there been such a gap until now?’”

The ever-increasing yearning to conquer the continent continued to grip Mosimane as he led Sundowns for the first time in Africa as their head coach last season.

“If Sundowns had won it last year in our first year back in the Champions League, it could have been by accident – I’m not saying Bafana’s win in 1996 was by accident – but last season we were just happy to be competing,” he says.

“No-one expected us to win, so there was no pressure. But that’s when I started thinking, ‘No man. We have the quality to win it, so why aren’t we?’

“So I investigated it … and it’s not by accident that we got here … it’s our preparations. I know sometimes when I say this, people will say, ‘Oh, he’s arrogant and is blowing his own trumpet’, but do you want the truth or not? I investigated and made sure I knew all the teams: I recorded all the games of the Champions League when I was not available; I recorded all the games of the Confederation Cup, up to the final. Even before, when we were not yet participating, I was preparing the team. At that time I joined Mamelodi Sundowns, and we were fighting relegation here. But I still kept watching the teams in the Champions League and I recorded those games

It’s the morning after the final, and as the awaiting TV crews set up, Pitso Mo-simane spreads himself on a comfortable couch as he

gives his first exclusive interview as a Champions League-winning coach to KICK OFF.

“It’s unbelievable,” he says, uncharacteristically lost for words before composing himself. “I’ve always said, ‘If I’m dreaming, leave me to sleep!’ It’s my biggest achievement, and a different feeling … like winning the championship in South Africa, but on a bigger stage.

“A new history has been written. We have matched any team in South Africa and on the continent: no one in Africa can say they are bigger than us.”

It’s no secret Mosimane has eyed continental success for some time, meticulously planning and pouring all his resources into understanding what it takes to achieve success on the African continent.

“My obsession with the Champions League started in my days playing for Bafana Bafana,” he reveals. “I remember my first call-up for the national team – we went to Lusaka and lost heavily there. Even though I was not in the 18-man squad, and was just part of the group called-up, I started to question myself and ask, ‘What’s happening? What is it that we can’t do in Africa?’

“In 1995, Pirates won the Champions League. But after that, the period between Pirates’ triumph and Bafana Bafana’s 1996 Nation’s Cup success to now, it has kept bothering me, and I’ve continuously asked,

FEATURE PITSO MOSIMANE

PITSO’S LUCKY CHARMPitso Mosimane invited his wife Moira to watch Sundowns claim African honours – her first trip into Africa with the team –and feels her presence proved a good omen.

“My wife came to the first-leg in Atteridgeville – she normally doesn’t come to the games,” he says. “But I told her she had to come to Egypt as well, to complete both legs, as she’s my lucky charm! So I invited her to come to Egypt as well. She’s knows this has been my dream and vision – that’s why I came to Sundowns – so it was very special to have her here.

“But she gets nervous a lot in my games, even at home. When the match is on the edge, she doesn’t continue watching on TV, and switches it off!” he laughs.

and said, ‘I want to see how the game is played at that level. Is it the quality? Is it the technique? What is it?’

“I gave myself three years – now I can be honest and tell you, as I’ve not said this before – but it came now in year two.”

The previous evening’s finalwas undoubtedly an energy-sapping and mentally draining test, considering all that was seemingly against the visiting South Africans. Yet having withstood everything that was thrown at them made the overall victory even sweeter.

“I’ve never seen a sea of White Knight fans like that,” says Mosimane, referring to the 60 000-odd Zamalek fans that had packed into the Borg El Arab Stadium. “It was beautiful and unbelievable … I’ve never seen that. That’s why I told my players to walk around the pitch before the game, to soak in the atmosphere and let it infiltrate their system, to understand what to expect when the match started.

“The Egyptians wanted to win at all costs … they didn’t provide us with a training pitch, they gave us a hard time, Denis Onyango was kicked in the head, their technical team coming to our technical area during the game, the players were falling all over the place, the fans shone lasers and




KING OF AFRICAwin it, and win the league in the same year, and win the Telkom and get to the MTN8 final? Excuse me my friend!”

The TV camera crews are now ready to beam Mosimane’s already-beaming face to the world, as the sought-after winner prepares to fulfil his next media obligation. Yet he has one final word of advice for his fellow South African teams who wish to emulate his African feat.

“If you want to play in the Champions League, you can’t have your pre-season in South Africa, and play against a team in the ABC Motsepe League, and score six or seven goals … no, no, no,” he says. “You’ve got to be able to spend money and travel, you’ve got to have the right quality of players that can sustain these kind of games. You have to make your team play friendly games outside of South Africa – have these transits of eight hours in other airports, go to hotels that aren’t that good, be able to travel six hours to a match – after all that, then you can do it.

“I think Wits can do it … Pirates and Chiefs can do it, and I think SuperSport and Platinum Stars in the Confederation Cup can also do it. But you have to have the right mentality to do it. You can’t say ‘Yes, we are going to Africa’ and then don’t field your strongest line-up. You must walk the talk. South Africa can do it.” KO

anything you can find … and Sundowns manage to endure and sustain all that.

“And that’s the beauty of the Champions League … and winning it, let me tell you, is not child’s play. It’s huge. But you must know that playing in this competition, you will have to sacrifice a few domestic league and cup games … you will lose some. You can’t have your cake and eat it.”

Downs were, however, initially knocked out of this year’s tournament and re-instated following AS Vita’s misdemeanour in fielding an ineligible player. And Mosimane feels his side’s Champions League success carries no less weight – as compared to Bucs’ 1996 triumph – despite the much-discussed ‘back-door entry’.

“We’ve admired Pirates for a long time, and now we have copied them – they won the star, now we have won the star,” he says. “We played 14 games to win it. People can pour cold water on it and say, ‘you were out, then came back through the back door’. Yes, we were out, but it was not our fault – it was within the rules.

“If you field a player with four yellow cards in the PSL, the game will be given to your opponents. If you pass a red robot, you will get a fine, so there’s no excuse. We won it fair and square. To the critics, I have this to say: can you come and

PITSO MOSIMANE

“NO ONE IN AFRICA CAN SAY THEY ARE BIGGER THAN US.”

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS PICTURE SPECIAL

CONTINENTALCONQUERORSIn testing conditions, Mamelodi Sundowns held their nerve to complete their mission in Egypt and earn the coveted Champions League star.

1 Team talk at training on the eve of the final.

2 Riot police on guard.

3 Referee Bakary Gassama under pressure.

4 Zamalek Ultras make their presence felt.

5 Elation for Pitso Mosimane.

6 Hlompho Kekana kisses the coveted cup.

7 Laser beams distract the Downs players.

8 Bassem Morsy’s battle wounds.

9 Sweet success for Sundowns.

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INTERNATIONAL Battle of the CoachesPICTURE SPECIAL

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10 Club owner Patrice Motsepe all smiles in the dressing room after the final.

11 Khama Billiat enjoying his recovery session in the pool the morning after the taxing final.

12 The Sundowns squad bask in their CAF Champions League glory.

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‘C ristiano Ronaldo breaks through the midfield and sprints onto a Toni Kroos

pass. Hlompho Kekana races back and produces a sliding tackle that steals the ball away from one of world football’s leading icons.’

This is a scenario that could well play out at the International Stadium in Yokohama on December 18 if Mamelodi Sundowns go all the way in the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan.

But they will have to get past two opponents before they set up a dream meeting with Ronaldo and his Real Madrid teammates.

Sundowns become the eighth African club to go to the annual event, which world football’s governing body intend expanding in the future to offer it a

Mamelodi Sundowns will represent Africa at the Club World Cup in Japan in December, a chance to

showcase the brand to a global audience.

BY MARK GLEESON

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS CLUB WORLD CUP


better profile and to diversify the hosts.Pitso Mosimane’s side meet either

Auckland City of New Zealand, or the Japanese champions in their first match on December 11 at the Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka.

As hosts, Japan gets to enter their league champions in the tournament, but they must compete in a play-off game against the Oceania Champions League winners. The J-League season only ends on December 3 so the identity of Sundowns’ first opponents – Kashima Antlers, Kawasaki Frontale or Urawa Red Diamonds – will not be known until the eve of the competition.

If Sundowns lose their opener, they go into the fifth place play-off on December 14 and then head home.

If they win, however, it is into

the semifinals to play Atletico Nacional, winners of this year’s South American championship, the Copa Libertadores. The Colombian club earned notoriety in the 1980s when drug lord Pablo Escobar invested millions of illegal dollars in the team in a money-laundering scheme.

There are similarities with Sundowns and their rise from obscurity thanks to the ill-gotten gains of Zola Mahobe.

Escobar provided money to buy top foreign talent and also retain the best local players, and Atletico went on to become the first Colombia club to win the top club prize in South America in 1989 in a dramatic penalty shootout.

But the next year Colombian

INTERNATIONAL

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT HOSTS/WINNERS2000 (Brazil): Corinthians (Brazil)2005 (Japan): Sao Paulo (Brazil)2006 (Japan): Internacional (Brazil)2007 (Japan): AC Milan (Italy)2008 (Japan): Manchester United (England)2009 (UAE): Barcelona (Spain)2010 (UAE): Inter Milan (Italy)2011 (Japan): Barcelona (Spain)2012 (Japan): Corinthians (Brazil)2013 (Morocco): Bayern Munich (Germany)2014 (Morocco): Real Madrid (Spain)2015 (Japan): Barcelona (Spain)

AFRICAN TEAMS AT THE CLUB WORLD CUPRaja Casablanca (Morocco) 2000, 2013Al Ahly (Egypt) 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013Etoile Sahel (Tunisia) – 2007TP Mazembe Englebert (DR Congo) 2009, 2010, 2015Esperance (Tunisia) 2011Entente Setif (Algeria) 2014Moghreb Tetouan (Morocco) 2014

CLUB WORLD CUP


Sundowns could go on to face Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in Japan.

Asian Champions

Club America (MEX)

clubs were not allowed to host Copa Libertadores ties because the drug cartels had been threatening match officials and the local league was cancelled when referee Alvaro Ortega was murdered.

But Atletico have fought back and glory days have returned – in a lot more legitimate fashion – losing only once in 14 matches before they lifted the 2016 Copa Libertadores trophy.

Four fans died, however, on a night of boisterous revelry and the club have since sold key players to Europe.

Auckland City, known as the ‘Navy Blues’, have made more Club World Cup appearances than any other side, no surprise given the sparse competition in the Oceania region.

Their coach Ramon Tribulietx is from Barcelona and commutes halfway across the world for months at a time to do his job. The team has players from Argentina, Croatia, England, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Serbia, Spain and Cape Town-born Ryan de Vries.

After this year’s Club World Cup, the future of the tournament is unclear with no host yet named for 2017, but indications are that it will be bigger and better.

It is born of the old one-off clash

SOUTH AFRICANS AT THE CLUB WORLD CUPGrant Young (Auckland City): Young played for Auckland City at the 2006 tournament in Japan and in 2009 in Abu Dhabi when he was 38-years-old. He was Hellenic’s all-time top scorer and played one game for Bafana Bafana against Australia in 1994. When his career ended in 2005, he left Cape Town to move to New Zealand, taking up the game again in the amateur league and immediately raining in the goals. He was voted best player in New Zealand as Auckland City went to the Club World Cup.

Keryn Jordan (Auckland City): Jordan won the inaugural PSL title with Manning Rangers in 1997 and a cap for Bafana two years later. He was then at SuperSport United before playing in Thailand and later

moving to New Zealand. He scored 76

goals in 100 games in

the national league, quickly becoming a hero Down Under and played in the Club World Cup for

Auckland City in 2006 and 2009. After being diagnosed with

cancer, Jordan spent 13 years battling various tumours before passing away at a care home in

Pretoria in 2013, aged just 37. He is the father of junior international forward Liam Jordan.

Ryan de Vries (Auckland City): De Vries was born in Cape Town,

but moved to New Zealand at the age of 18 and scored at

the 2014 Club World Cup where Auckland City won an unexpected bronze.

He was top scorer in the New Zealand premier league last season and

is now a New Zealand international, making his debut for the All

Whites last year.

between the European and South America champions that was moved to Japan when Toyota became sponsors. This grew into the Club World Cup although it was initially treated with some ambivalence by the Europeans. But they take it a bit more seriously now – playing a game in Japan is no longer seen as a strange thing to do.

But there is still a sense that European clubs see it more as marketing exercise to increase ‘brand awareness’ among Asian consumers, while in South America it is the absolute highlight of the club calendar.

Africa will be hoping Sundowns can also boost its footballing profile by making waves in Japan. KO

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS CLUB WORLD CUP

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)

Winner 1

Atletico Nacional (COL)

Winner 2

FINAL

Real Madrid (ESP)

Winner 3

MATCH 2 11 DEC Osaka MATCH 4

14 DEC Osaka

18 DEC Yokohama

J-League winners

Auckland City (NZ)

MATCH 1 8 DEC Yokohama

Losers Play-Off

MATCH 3 11 DEC Osaka

MATCH 5 15 DEC Yokohama

14 DEC Osaka

Losers Play-Off

18 DEC Yokohama

ALL THE FIXTURES

Atletico Nacional celebrate winning the 2016 Copa Libertadores.


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I t was on June 27 this year that Kaizer Chiefs called a press conference at Naturena and, amid some

slick choreography, pulled a march on the other teams by announcing their new signings for the season.

Usually these announcements come just before the new campaign starts after clubs have completed their transfer window scamblings.

The underlying message from Chiefs was one of an efficient organisation and solid pre-planning, and there were smug smiles from Bobby Motaung and Steve Komphela who sat in front, the new additions holding their jerseys aloft for the snapping cameramen.

But in the audience, there were confounded looks as the identities of some of the new players were revealed. Most, it was whispered, lacked the lustre of a typical Chiefs signing of yesteryear. Fair comment or not?

Now, with the season in full swing, KICK OFF looks at the last 35 headline signings made by Chiefs and ponders whether the club has been successful in the transfer market over the last five seasons.

2016/17Lewis Macha: Signed from Mozambique, a less competitive league than his native Zambia, Macha made plenty of headlines with the winner in the Carling Black Label Cup, but injury has hampered his opportunity since,

FEATURE KAIZER CHIEFS


CHIEFS BUYS – TOPS OR FLOPS?

although his poor first touch has let him down in the few games he has played. Edmore Chirambadare: Plenty of pace but little polish, he was dropped immediately after his full debut but has since partly redeemed himself with a late equaliser in the

Telkom Knockout quarter-final match against Free State stars.Michelle Katsvairo: Steve Komphela says the Zimbabwean striker needs time, but of the trio of foreigners signed for this season, he has looked the one with the most potential.Ennocent Mkhabela: The hard-tackling central defender, picked up from SuperSport United, has not had a chance yet as Willard Katsande is the first choice in his role.Sibusiso Khumalo: Replaced out of form Tsepo Masilela for several matches before the veteran was restored to left-back and Khumalo left on the bench to ponder what he had done wrong.Keegan Buchanan: A gamble after a serious knee injury, which kept him sidelined for 10 months, he is designed to be the penetrative passer in a role vacated by Reneilwe Letsholonyane.Ramalawe Mphahlele: Moving from champions Mamelodi Sundowns was a step up, said the right-back, who has made the role his own and is now a national team squad regular.Ryan Moon: The teenage striker played just a couple of games with Maritzburg United, but after arriving at Chiefs got injured in training and went straight onto the operating table to have his knee fixed.

(Above) Chirambadare has yet to realise his full potential in the gold and black.

FEATUREKAIZER CHIEFS KAIZER CHIEFS


2015/16Siyanda Xulu: Well paid at Chiefs after moving back home from Russia, where he was on US$30 000 a month, but is now frozen out at the club.Camaldien Abraw: Chiefs won a controversial case with Bloemfontein Celtic to obtain the services of the Togo international, but he only scored six goals last season and is ruled out of this entire campaign after serious knee surgery.Daniel Cardoso: A persistent shin injury made him a risky buy from Free State Stars and continued problems have meant he has spent little time on the pitch in Chiefs’ colours.Keegan Ritchie: This was the second time Chiefs signed him, on this occasion from Bloemfontein Celtic,

(Below) Mthembu has not taken his scoring from from Rustenburg to Gauteng.

(Left) Ndulula never started a game for Chiefs.

2014/15 Ovidy Karuru: The Zimbabwean international midfielder arrived at Naturena amid great expectation having previously played in Europe, but left two seasons later after just two starts, both in the Nedbank Cup. Levy Mokgothu: One of the more bizarre signings, the left-back joined from Moroka Swallows in 2014 and never kicked a ball for Chiefs, but made two appearances for Bafana Bafana in that time. Phakamani Mngadi: A junior international winger who was developed at the Aspire Academy and played in the lower leagues in Belgium with Eupen. He was signed on loan, but played just a handful of minutes as a substitute in a league game against University of Pretoria. Siphelele Mthembu: After impressing at Platinum Stars, Mthembu was signed to ease Chiefs’ scoring woes, but has made just six starts in more than two years. He has scored five goals in total, including a hat-trick in the Nedbank Cup. He was transfer-listed at the start of the season.

but Ritchie served only as cover for Masilela, and has since moved on.Bongani Ndlula: A national team regular when Chiefs bought him from AmaZulu, he never made a single start for Amakhosi, playing five matches as a substitute, and was shipped out within 12 months to Chippa United.Sula Matovu: A Uganda international, who was signed after trials and had previously been in Sweden, was let go after just one year and a few fleeting appearances.Edward Manqele: Weight problems and a failure to make the grade after his transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns left Manqele looking a one-season wonder, although he is back in the frame again and seeking to prove detractors wrong.


2012/13 Siboniso Gaxa: Gaxa was a marquee signing in 2012 after returning to the PSL from Lierse in Belgium and played a major role in Chiefs’ two league championships in 2012/13 and 2014/15. Was dumped by the club at the start of this season after 133 starts, but has lodged a dispute saying he is still contracted. Morgan Gould: The powerful centre-back had two long-term injuries while at Chiefs that hindered his stay. Still managed to play a reduced role in their two championship successes, but left at the end of last season for SuperSport United. Mulomowandau Mathoho: One of Chiefs’ best buys in recent years, ‘Tower’ remains an integral part of the side after his 2012 arrival from Bloemfontein Celtic and is one of the top centre-backs in the league.Tsepo Masilela: The left-back had spent a season on loan at Spanish La Liga side Getafe before joining Chiefs from Israeli club Maccabi Haifa. He has been a regular when fit bar earlier this season, when he lost his place to new signing Sibusiso Khumalo. He appears to have won it back, for now. Kgotso Moleko: It is only since the arrival of Komphela at Chiefs that right-back Moleko has played somewhat regularly with his first three seasons spent mostly on the sidelines. He is in and out of the side this campaign.

George Maluleka: Maluleka was a January signing in 2014 and was a prised capture from Ajax Cape Town. He has never quite managed to nail down a regular starting place, but played a big part in the second championship for Stuart Baxter in 2014/15. Sakhile Hlongwa: An 18-year-old signed from the eThekwini Coastal Academy who never made a single appearance for Chiefs. Later had spells with Thanda Royal Zulu and Mthatha Bucks in the National First Division.

2013/14 Katlego Mphela: Injury-prone Bafana Bafana forward that was signed from Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2014 and finished his first season well with goals in four consecutive matches at the end of the campaign. Two more in the opening two games of the next season promised much before he was sidelined and made just a handful of appearances after that. Ivan Bukenya: Versatile Uganda international who never quite settled at Chiefs, making 19 starts in three seasons, seven of those in the cups. Was released at the end of the last campaign. Knowledge Musona: The Zimbabwe international returned to Chiefs on loan from German Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim and delivered. He netted 11 goals in 20 starts, but was adamant about returning to Europe and signed in Belgium.

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAYChiefs have had some high-profile exits from the club in recent seasons that have been felt on the pitch.Reneilwe Letsholonyane was allowed to join SuperSport United at the start of this campaign and his dynamism in midfield has been missed.Mandla Masango also did not have his contract renewed at the end of the 2014/15 season and eventually moved to Denmark. Chiefs have battled to find a replacement on the right wing.Tefu Mashamaite was another whose absence was felt when he was allowed to leave at the same time as Masango and it took a full season for the Chiefs defence to settle. The club also almost lost the services of goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune at the same time after failing to agree a new contract, before the Bafana Bafana shot-stopper lowered his salary demands and returned cap in hand to sign a new contract.

(Below) Bukenya never quite made the grade at Amakhosi.

Brilliant Khuzwayo: The goalkeeper has been a dependable option when called upon, but remains very much number two to Itumeleng Khune. Reyaad Pieterse: Pieterse left Chiefs at the end of last season having become frustrated at playing second-fiddle to Khune. He did appear to be ahead of Khuzwayo in the pecking order though, and is now fighting for a place at SuperSport. Siyabonga Nkosi: The midfielder played out the final three seasons of his career with a second spell at Naturena after leaving for Europe in 2007, and later returned to play for SuperSport and Golden Arrows. Very much a bit-part player. Kingston Nkhatha: Arrived from Black Leopards and was a steady if unspectacular scorer. Would end his stay two-and-a-half seasons later with 20 goals in 68 starts and as the target of the ‘boo-boys’ in the stands, much to the annoyance of Baxter.Matthew Rusike: Never nailed down a regular starting place in three seasons and is now at Helsingborg in Sweden. The Zimbabwe international’s best campaign was his last in 2014/15 when he netted two goals in seven starts. KO

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CLUBHOUSE Behind the scenes in the big-time

Cavin Johnson says he has full faith in Mbongeni Mzimela to continue taking penalties for Platinum Stars after the goalkeep-er slotted his spot-kick against Lamontville Golden Arrows.

Mzimela kept his cool to net

Mzimela adds name to select groupMzimela is not the first keeper

to take penalties in the Premier Soccer League.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ Zambian international stopper Kennedy Mweene netted 14 penalties dur-ing his time at Free State Stars.

Another current Sundowns keeper, Denis Onyango, also has a PSL goal to his name after netting for SuperSport United in a 3-1 vic-tory over Black Leopards in 2008.

That was not from the spot, but rather open play as he hoofed the ball up field and caught Leopards keeper Mashudu Mamphitha off his line.

By Nick Said

Homecoming revolutionKagisho Dikgacoi played his first Premier Soccer League game in almost seven-and-a-half years when he turned out for Lamontville Golden Arrows against Maritzburg United earlier this season, but is well down the list of longest period between matches in South Af-rica’s top flight.

Dikgacoi had last played for Golden Arrows in a 1-0 win over Bay United in May 2009 before departing for then English Premier-ship side

Fulham.After

spells at Crystal Palace and Cardiff

City, he then returned to his former PSL club at the start

of this campaign. He netted on his ‘second

debut’ for Abafana Bes’thende against Maritzburg, but was

sent off in the next game, some seven years and five months since leaving Durban.

But that is no way near the record holder for longest period between South African top flight games, a mark

set by cur-

rent Cape Town City coach Eric

Tinkler.Tinkler left Wits University

for Portugal in July 1990 and it would be 16 years and two months before he returned

to action in the elite league.He re-joined Wits ahead

of the 2005/06 season after successful spells in

Portugal, England and Italy, but they were cam-paigning in the National First Division in that season following an unlikely

relegation.So his next top-flight

appearance was as a substitute in a 2-1

victory over Kaizer Chiefs five matches into

the following campaign in

September 2006.Three other players have

more than a decade between South African top-flight ap-

pearances.Benni McCarthy

left a loan spell with Cape Town Spurs in

the 1997/98 season to join Ajax Amsterdam and would not play again in the PSL until the start of the 2011/12 season when he joined Orlando Pirates – a gap of 14 years and four months.

Current Pirates assistant coach Bradley Carnell enjoyed a fine career in the German Bundesliga after leaving Kaizer Chiefs in 1998 and only returned in August 2010 when he signed with SuperSport United. He had 12 years and three months between PSL appearances.

And Nasief Morris spent just over a decade outside of South African shores when he departed Santos for Greek side Aris Thessaloniki in May 2001 before returning to join Super-Sport in August 2011.

By Nick Said

from 12-yards in what proved to be the winner as Dikwena ended a run of seven matches without a win.

The 31-year-old had earlier in the match saved a penalty as well from Arrows’ Clifton Miheso for a fine ‘double’ in the game.

Johnson tells KICK OFF that Mzimela is one of the team’s designated penalty-takers and he thought in the moment that the stage was set for him.

“It’s the ground where he made his PSL debut and he had saved a penalty already in the game, so I thought this would be a good moment for him,” Johnson says.

“He is one of our penalty-takers and is very consistent when we take them in training. I don’t think it should matter that he is a keeper, I have always said that a football team is made up of 11 players, and he can contribute this way also.”

Mzimela had earlier in the sea-son scored for Stars in a friendly penalty shoot-out with Orlando Pirates in the Maize Cup.

“He is never nervous and is a very cool character,” Johnson says. “I wondered if the setting against Golden Arrows would make him a little bit nervous, but it didn’t at all.”

CLUBHOUSE


Images of Sipho Moeti using his knees to press the ball in a classic showboating incident as Baroka defeated Platinum Stars in the Telkom Knockout caused controversy after he received a booking for his actions.

The furure around the inci-dent has turned Moeti into something of a celebrity as it was picked apart by social media, but it should not de-tract from the fact that he has made an outstanding start to the campaign with strong performances for his side.

Moeti, 31, has been some-what of a journeyman with his patience tested playing lower division football at Orlando Black Poison, Yebo Yes FC, Vardos, Roses United and African All Stars.

He also had a brief stay at Free State Stars and played one game for Moroka Swal-lows in the 2014/15 season.

“I have been around in the lower divisions for way too long that you don’t have to doubt me when I say I respect my job,” Moeti says.

But how does someone who is considered a ‘show-boating expert’ even talk about respect?

“Reality is that I have so much ground to cover in making up for all the time lost from the years that I spent playing in the lower leagues. People might have their own opinions about my game, but this is what I am and I am not going to change.

“I respect my job and what they signed me for here at Baroka is what I am doing now. Baroka liked what they saw in me when they spotted me at the Maimane Phiri Games and I will never change.

INTRODUCINGSIPHO MOETI (BAROKA)

“Coach Kgoloko Thobejane also says I must also do what he signed me for, so that is what matters most. If you don’t like my style, from wherever you are, then there is nothing that I can do about that. What matters is that my employer is supportive,” he states.

Moeti knows too well about the divided opinion that has previously left him alienated by some coaches.

“Coaches are not the same, which is why I was signed by Free State Stars, but then never got a chance because the coach that they had at the time felt my style didn’t suit what he wanted.

“I am from Soweto and I have always played with kasi flavour. What is strange is that when Stars signed me, they knew this. At Swallows I got a chance to play my first game in profession-al football, but my progress was then blocked by All Stars who wanted money for my transfer.

“It then became a contractual dispute and I eventually termi-nated with All Stars. If it wasn’t for

the contract fracas I will have played more at Swallows,” he says.

Moeti credits Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena for encour-aging him not to lose hope.

“Rhulani was my coach at Black Poison and told me my chance would come because I am a good player. Though my other friends all gave up on football, I held on to my only hope with the help of Rhulani.

“My dad also told me to leave the game and go back to school, but then Rhulani told me that I deserve to play in the PSL. I am now working hard so that I can still play for at least another five years.

“I have suffered a lot in this game, but the thought of giving up on football has never crossed my mind. From my earnings in football I now want to get into business to sustain myself past my play-ing days,” he says.

By Lovemore Moyo

GOAL MACHINE Thanda Royal Zulu striker Mhlengi Cele says no-one will stop his goal-scoring ex-ploits this season as he chases the National First Division Golden Boot.

Cele has been in stupendous form for the NFD pacesetters on his return to the club, netting 12 goals in 10 appearances by mid-November.

Thanda, who had a disastrous 2015/16 campaign and only retained their NFD status on the final day of the season, are gunning to return to the PSL for the first time since they were relegated at the end of 2008/09 season.

‘’I don’t see anything stopping me other than injuries and those are things you cannot control in football. The way things are going, I’m still going to score more goals,’’ Cele tells KICK OFF, adding his strike-rate has not gone unnoticed.

“When you are doing well there’s always clubs looking for goalscorers. Clubs have said, ‘Come this side, we’ve got money and we can afford you’. And if I continue banging goals, I think at the end of the season I will get another chance in top-flight football.’’

The 29-year-old is no stranger to the top-flight having spent two seasons at Chippa United between 2014 and 2016 before returning to Thanda, who had sold him to the Chilli Boyz.

He didn’t play much in Port Elizabeth, netting just two goals in his time there.

‘’I had offers in the PSL, but I thought coming back to Thanda was the right decision,’’ he said. ‘’Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United came knocking, but I rejected them – I couldn’t return to the PSL because of my previous experience at Chippa. I wanted to go back to Thanda and show people who Mhlengi Cele really is.

“I was the only one who had the desire of coming back and relaunching my career in the NFD ... even the club was doubting me initially, but Thanda has always had a special place in my heart.’’

By Robin-Duke Madlala

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ON THE BALL ON THE BALL

Mamelodi Sundowns’ suc-cess in the African Champions League has created a major headache for the Premier Soc-cer League (PSL) which has the potential to force the domes-tic season to run up to three weeks longer.

But remarkably, The Brazil-ians could play as many as 60 matches this season – a new rcord for a South African club – as they chase silverware on a number of fronts.

To put that into perspec-tive, European champions Real Madrid played in 52 games in the 2015/16 season on the way to their continental triumph.

But how to squeeze those matches for Sundowns into an already congested season remains a puzzle the PSL are finding difficult to solve, though the Tshwane side’s exit from the Telkom Knockout at the quarterfinal stage does offer some reprieve.

A trip to the Club World Cup in December and the hosting of the African Super Cup in February has added further pressure to the fixture list, though the side should at least be spared entering the prelimi-nary stage of the Champions League in 2017 due to their status as holders. It means they will only enter that com-petition in March.

As to whether the season will be extended, KICK OFF understands that the PSL have taken a ‘wait-and-see’ stance, having rescheduled Sundowns’ opening league game of the season against Highlands Park for the end of November, the weekend of the Telkom Knock-

SUNDOWNS FACE SQUEEZE AS NEW RECORD LOOMS

THE BRAZILIANS COULD PLAY AS MANY AS 60 GAMES THIS SEASON.

up against Algeria, Tunisia and Senegal in a horror group.

If Sundowns exit the Nedbank Cup or Champions League competitions early, that also opens up a new set of dates for matches to be played.

Should the league be ex-tended, KICK OFF understands that it will likely only be by one week and not the three that the PSL had suggested was possible last month.

In this scenario, the final week of the campaign would be on June 7 and the Nedbank Cup final pushed out to June 14.

The problem in extending beyond that is the staging of the Confederations Cup in Rus-sia that starts on June 17.

Should Zimbabwe or Uganda pull off a miraculous Nations Cup win to rival that of Zambia in 2012, they will be playing in that tournament and their players lost to PSL clubs at a potentially crucial stage of the season.

Ghana too have PSL play-ers in their squad and

are a more likely bet to go to Russia.

But all these match-es do open up the potential for some record-breaking feats for Sundowns players.

Themba Mnguni is the long-standing holder of the the record for the most starts in a season for Sundowns – 48 in the 1997/98 campaign.

The likes of Khama Billiat, Dennis Onyango, Hlompho Kekana and Tiyani Mabunda would all have a shot at break-ing that record if they stay fit.

By Nick Said

out semifinals. The catch-up has begun.

There is also a suggestion that the club could play games after the knockout rounds of the African Nations Cup finals have been played.

Those finish on January 23 and with the league only set to

resume on February 7, there is potentially two weeks to play with if Zimbabwe or Uganda do not make it out of their first round pools.

Sundowns have Zimbabwe stars Khama Billiat and Uganda goalkeeper Dennis Onyango in their squad, with the Warriors

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NAME: Shu-Aib Walters NICKNAME: AB BORN: 26/12/81 in Mowbray, Cape Town LOVELIFE: Single PREVIOUS CLUBS:

Bluebells AFC, Milano United, Newtons FC, Rygersdal Aces, Clyde Pinelands, Vasco da Gama, Bloemfontein Celtic,

Maritzburg United, Mpumalanga Black Aces CAR: Mercedes Benz CLK 500 convertible CELLPHONE: i-Phone 6

On the pitchHow did you end up as a goalkeeper? Up to the age of 16 I was playing as a right half in the Under-17 team and upfront in the U-19 team while featuring as a goalkeeper in the senior team. So at least that proves that I could also play other positions as well. I enjoyed being a keeper a bit more than the other positions because I was inspired by Andre Arendse and Peter Schmeichel while growing up. Taking the choice of being a keeper over all other positions has worked out well.Did you meet anyone famous during the 2010 World Cup when you were in the national team? We were waiting for the same flight with the French squad at the airport in Bloemfontein, so we got to chat a bit. I did have a bit of a chat with Hugo Loris, Djibril Cisse and Patrice Evra, and what I noticed is that the whole team was very friendly towards us. With Evra, he was playing for Manchester United at the time and that being the team that I support, I felt fortunate to be with him. Then,

just prior to the 2010 World Cup, I also exchanged jerseys with [Germany goalkeeper] Manuel Neuer. At the time he was a nobody and was the third choice keeper in the national team, and not even at Bayern Munich yet. I also didn’t really know him at the time, but I feel fortunate that I still have his jersey now when his

SHU-AIB WALTERS (CAPE TOWN CITY)

profile has grown to be this huge.What kind of gloves do you prefer, seeing as there are so many styles and cuts nowadays?Three years ago I contacted a United Kingdom-based company called SELLS and they agreed to sponsor me with gloves. I have been using the roll finger cut which is very popular amongst goalkeepers. It is a very comfortable fit for me as it has a rolled effect around the fingers with a bigger surface on the hand for ball contact. It is a brand that looks after Victor Valdes and Simon Mignolet, amongst many other keepers. How loud are you as a goalkeeper, and what kind of relationship do you usually have with defenders who are also people with different characters? On the field all my teammates know that I am very vocal and a bit crazy. However, I always make it known that I don’t mean bad when I shout at you because this is all part of doing my job. There have been occasions when some teammates didn’t like what and how I said things to them on the field, but then I always make the effort to explain myself after the game. I never get personal with my teammates … I just have that winning mentality in me.

Off the pitchIs it true that goalkeepers usually have the biggest appetite in the team? That is true! I am known for eating a lot. I really do enjoy my meals and as I have gotten older I have found myself craving the sweeter things which obviously means I will gain a bit of weight. My favourite dish is seafood and I always look out for that whenever I am eating out. However, I have to also make it known that in our team Judas [Moseamedi] and Tshepo [Gumede] are also known to be big eaters – they really love their food.If you could go back to your teenage years, what would you do differently?I think I would have made an effort to complete my studies much earlier because it is only recently that I have been able to complete my Sports Management diploma. I would have also been more compassionate towards the underprivileged in this world and be spending a lot more time in orphanages like I am now doing.You were born the day after Christmas ... how do you usually celebrate your birthday?With me it is really difficult to be celebrating – I celebrate on Christmas Day and we all just become merry. There is always a good vibe and I make sure that there is a braai. How often are you at the barbershop?I go there once every month. If the game is on television or I have a public appearance to make I also make the effort to look the part, just like most guys in the team. It helps to always look presentable.

By Lovemore Moyo

GIANLUIGI BUFFON OR DAVID DE GEA BUFFONCAPE ARGUS OR CAPE TIMES TIMES V&A

WATERFRONT OR CANAL WALK WATERFRONT ABSA OR FNB FNB KEVIN HART OR CHRIS ROCK CHRIS ROCK

SPOTLIGHT



GOOD MONTH FOR ...Stuart Baxter

BAD MONTH FOR ...Muhsin Ertugral

The Matsatsantsa coach helped extend his side’s nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions with victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout.

The Turkish coach succumbed to the pressure of recent inconsistent results and tendered his resignation after the 6-1 humbling by Super-Sport United.

• Augusto Pala-cious hired is hired as Orlando Pirates care-taker coach, with Benson Mhlongo announced as assistant coach alongside Bradley Carnell.

• KV Kortrijk striker Lars Veldwijk earns his first Bafana Bafana call-up, despite having never set foot in the

country.• Roger de Sa and

Serame Letsoaka part ways as head coaches of Ajax Cape Town and Bloem-fontein Celtic respectively, with Stanley Menzo taking charge of the Urban War-riors and Hloni Seema and John Maduka named interim coaches at Celtic.

• Itumeleng Khune, Keagan Dolly, Denis Onyango and Khama Billiat make the 30-man shortlist for the 2016 CAF Player of the Year award, with Hlompho Kekana and Yannick Zakri joining the four as nominees for the Player of the Year - Based in Africa prize.

ALSO LAST MONTH:

PLAYMAKER

PALOOKA

SuperSport United celebrate after handing Orlando Pirates a 6-1 league defeat – a joint-record in the Soweto club’s history.

Sipho MoetiThe Baroka midfielder displayed ‘unsporting behaviour’ while showboating in a Telkom Knock-out tie against Platinum Stars, and was shown a yellow card.

Lebogang ManyamaThe Cape Town City captain scored a brace against Mamelodi Sundowns, and has been the driving force behind the City Boyz’ solid form in both league and cup competition.

WORDS: “When I woke up this morning I realised I had received an email at 3.30am from the coach (Muhsin Ertugral). I would

have loved if he had engaged me first before expressing his frustration ... because you will remember whenever we part with coaches, it is always in a dignified manner.” – Irvin khoza on Muhsin Ertugral’s resignation.

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news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile NOVEMBER 2016 37


Every team needs a Forceful Man to win those key battles in midfield and break up the opposition play, while every man needs to know that he will be protected when the heat is on.

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande has become a master at this with his ‘no- nonsense’ style and huge work-rate, just like Masculin Force deodorant and antiperspirant roll on. He will make his mark on the game with some bruising tackles.

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Masculin Impact deodorant and antiperspirant roll on is no different, providing you with instant 48 hour protection when you need it most to achieve your goals!

Khama Billiat has been the Impact King in the Premier Soccer League over the last few years, but he is one of many.

These are players who love the ball at their feet and were born to entertain, bringing skill and trickery onto the pitch.

Masculin Impact can change the game for you quickly too if you find yourself up against unpleas-ant body odours that are a turn-off for everybody else. If you need to get in the game quick, make an impact! 48 Hour Odour Control.

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MAMELODI SUNDOWNS 2016 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS

SOCCER AT ITS BEST

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2016 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS



Unlike their male counterparts, Banyana Banyana have never failed to qualify for an African Women’s Championship. Partici-pation at this year’s tournament in Cameroon makes it 10 in a row for the national women’s team.

But they have never won the competition, having been runners-up four times in an increasingly frustrating quest.

This year’s event finds Banyana at a crossroads. The team has just come off their best spell yet, under the tutelage of Vera Pauw, whose achievements in getting the team to the Olympic Games

Banyana chase holy grailhas earned her a nomination from FIFA for Women’s Coach of the Year.

But the Dutch national has gone back home, leaving as-sistant Desiree Ellis to step up and take charge of participation at the tournament where South Africa meet the hosts, Egypt and Zimbabwe in Group A.

They have avoided top-ranked Nigeria in the group phase and have been handed a draw that gives South Africa every chance of reaching the semifinals at least. Nigeria were paired in Group B with Ghana, Kenya and

Mali.The tournament starts on

November 19 in Yaoundé and the final is in Limbe, the stadium where Hlompho Kekana scored his wonder goal for Bafana, on December 3.

Ellis was among the very first Banyana players and her selec-tion as caretaker coach is proof of progress through the ranks. But she is also not going to tinker with what she sees as a win-ning formula developed by her predecessor.

“We have come very close in this tournament and we believe

we stand a good chance of doing even better. I have kept the bulk of the squad mainly for the experience gathered over the years and at the Olympic Games,” says Ellis, who used to work at KICK OFF.

“I’m more confident than ever that we will do well this time around, and I don’t mean it will be an easy task. But in terms of the selection, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, and what we can assure all South Africans is that we will do the best we can to emerge victorious.”

By Mark Gleeson

BANYANA’S MATCHESGroup A19 Nov v Zimbabwe, Yaounde 22 Nov v Cameroon, Yaounde25 Nov v Egypt, YaoundeSemifinals29 Nov in Yaounde or LimbeThird place play-off2 Dec in YaoundeFinal3 Dec in Yaounde



Wits’ foreigner conumdrum

Secrets of the Stars Cole Alexander

Bidvest Wits will have a difficult de-cision to make in January if English forward James Keene makes a full recovery from injury.

Keene netted eight goals in 12 starts after signing in January, but was ruled out of the first half of this season through injury. And in order to play him next year, Wits would have to de-register one of the cur-rent foreigners in the squad.

The new PSL rules allows clubs to have five overseas players registered at any given time, mean-ing they can chop and change mid-season if they so desire.

Wangu Gome (Namibia), Moga-kolodi Ngele (Botswana), Gab-adinho Mhango (Malawi), Cuthbert Malajila and Knox Mutizwa (both Zimbabwe) are all registered for the first half of the 2015/16 season, meaning one would have to be sacrificed for Keene’s return.

“In terms of our agreement with James, we have committed to helping him in his rehabilitation for as long as that takes,” Wits CEO Jose Ferreira tells KICK OFF.

“Once he is rehabilitated, a decision will be taken on whether we sign him into the future. If we do that, then we will need to de-register one foreigner. We will deal with that when the time comes.”

It is not a foregone conclusion that Keene will be reintegrated into the squad however, with Phakamani Mahlambi set to return in the New Year, Mutizwa perform-ing well in the MDC and Bafana Bafana forward Eleazar Rodgers showing good form as well.

By Nick Said

the SuperSport United mid-fielder also played for in his childhood years. His younger brother – a die-hard Orlando Pirates fan – plays for the same club.

6Though Alexander’s father is a qualified amateur

coach, his biggest critic is his mom and he knows that if she is happy then it means he definitely had a good game.

7After attaining his mat-ric, Alexander studied

towards a Sports Adminstra-tion qualification at Boston College, but then dropped out due to football commit-ments. He still has plans to study again.

8Since his father is a qualified boiler-maker by

profession, Cole has also since mastered the art of welding, declaring that he can safely

put together a gate. He also earned money selling bakery products made by his neighbour, using all the money he earned to buy takkies.

9His family home in Mitchell’s Plein is next

to the Lenteguer Psychiat-ric Hospital and he is famil-iar with patients jumping over into his yard to steal soft drinks!

10 Two players that lived in the same

neighbourhood as Alex-ander – on the same road where he grew up, and where his parents still reside – also made it to the PSL: midfield duo Zairon van Beulen and Graham King, who both turned out for Cape club Santos.

By Lovemore Moyo

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1Cole ‘Santiago’ Alexan-der is the second born

child in a family of three brothers. His older brother Dale is studying part-time towards a Law degree while working at Sanlam. His younger brother Seth is in Grade 3. Though Seth is 17 years younger, Cole is still the one known as ‘mommy’s boy’ at home.

2Being the fitness enthusiast that he is,

Alexander was a super wel-terweight amateur boxer back home in Cape Town, but lost the two fights that he was involved in. He is still involved in kick-box-ing and USC boxing.

3Alexander is on the verge of getting

married to his girlfriend of seven years and is a born-again Christian who attends the Central Baptist Church in Tshwane.

4Such is the football rivalry in the Alexander

household that while Cole and his dad are Manches-ter United fans, his mom brothers support Liver-pool. Chaos always breaks out in their household on days of the North West derby!

5Cole’s dad is the coach of local junior team

Leeds Lentegeur FC, which


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Mnguni gives backWhere are they now? Bennett Mnguni

cow was brief as he moved to FC Rostov a year later, he is a man that is just as proud of his forays in Europe as the time he spent in the Premier Soccer League.

Aside from his Champions League appearances, he also played at the African Nations Cup and the 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan, though his memory of the latter is a sour one.

“With regards to the World Cup, it didn’t turn out to be a great experience because [coach] Jomo Sono said I wasn’t in a good frame of mind fol-lowing the passing away of my

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Bennett Mnguni remembers well the high-light of his playing career: the night he neutralised the great Zinedane Zidane in a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw at the Santiago Berna-beu in 2002.

Mnguni was playing for Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow against a Madrid side that also included Rob-erto Carlos, Iker Casillas, Luis Figo, Raul and the Brazilian forward Ronaldo.

“I will always cherish that night,” he tells KICK OFF. “As a defensive midfielder my man was Zidane, so you can imagine the feeling. The coach told me that he is also human just like me, so I will have to play against him and do the job that I am sup-posed to do on him.

“Without realising it, the coach had given me the courage to go and play ... and the rest is history now. That was also my first proper Champions League game.”

Though his stay at Mos-

brother during the tournament. “All the same, the fact that I

was considered good enough to be selected to go to the World Cup remains special for me,” he says.

Two stints with Mamelodi Sundowns – the club that gave him his breakthrough after he was recruited from amateur club Publican Brothers – AmaZulu and Thanda Royal Zulu were combined with a couple of stints in China with Tianjin Taida and Okktha United, before he ended his career in Thailand at Yangon.

He played 13 times for Bafana

in all between 2001 and 2004.“I don’t think I have any

reason to be complaining about the career that I had despite the challenges I faced along the way,” he said. “For me, I am happy that I played locally and abroad. I was this guy from Re-filwe here in Cullinan who used to travel every day to play for Publican Brothers before I was then taken to Sundowns.”

Prior to his arrival at Sun-downs, Mnguni had always been a striker, but was gradually converted to play as a holding midfielder by Ted Dumitru and went on to play most of the rest of his career in that position.

“With the quality of strikers that were at Sundowns at the time which included Daniel Mudau and Raphael Chukwu, our coach [Dumitru] knew very well that my chances of game-time would be slim. So I was converted to playing in midfield and I have no regrets,” he acknowledges.

Since calling time on his playing career four years ago after returning from Asia, Mnguni – now 42 – has headed back home to the small mining town of Cullinan, located on the outskirts of Tshwane.

Having been involved with amateur clubs he has now de-cided to start his own academy – the Bennett Mnguni Soccer Academy – which is located at the Zonderwater Correctional Centre in Cullinan.

“I was helped by someone to get out of here before I went on to play professional football. So why can’t l do the same? I have about 40 kids aged from 10-15 years that I help out, but the


Jomo Cosmos are expelled from the NSLtarget is to grow bigger by having a lot more younger ones incorporated.

“The obvious challenge is lack of support from the corporate world because for now I have been sourcing everything using my own funds and that can never be enough. I seriously need equipment for these kids be-cause my aim is to also have a kid from this area playing in the professional ranks in the next few years.”

Mnguni says he also has the ambition to coach in the PSL one day.

“I have been encouraged by Pitso Mosimane, who had to start from the bottom after the end of his playing career. I also know that you don’t need to have been a good player to become a coach. Your playing career shouldn’t be what you always use as a reference point if you want to get into coaching,” he says.

With life in retirement nor-mally being so harsh to most footballers, Mnguni says his lifestyle has helped.

“Firstly, I am a member of the ZCC so the church helped a lot in grooming me to be the human being that I am now. I went to church and played football. Those that know me will tell you that I was never flashy and the same BMW that I drove back then is the same car that I still have now.

“I am a family man with more than five kids and I am still involved in the lives of all my kids regardless of what happened between me and their mothers. I am proud to say that my first born daugh-ter is completing her degree in becoming a Chartered Accountant next year,” says a proud Mnguni.

By Lovemore Moyo

OCT 3 Mamelodi Sundowns re-sign Malawian brothers Holman and Kennedy Malunga, who had been playing in Belgium.OCT 4 Rangers owners, Soweto businessman Victor Sithole and Victor Selane, plan to sell the club they bought in 1986 because of a lack of supporters.OCT 13 The National Soccer League (NSL) hold an inquiry into allegations that rugby boss Louis Luyt, a shareholder at Moroka Swallows, is seeking to set up a rival league with the aid of Jomo Sono. AmaZulu, Jomo Cosmos, Swallows,

Bush Bucks, Witbank Aces and Cape Town Spurs all have talks at Luyt’s Johannesburg home.OCT 21 Chiefs are back on top of the league after a 4-1 thumping of Sundowns at Soccer City, coming behind to win as Sam Khambule is sent off.OCT 31 Jomo Sono is found guilty of involvement in attempts to form a rival league and awaits his sentencing.NOV 1 Aces fire coach Augusto Palacios as he seeks a salary increase.NOV 2 The NSL DC recommends Sono to be expelled, but he hits back by saying the NSL should

disclose all their financial records, including sponsorship contracts.NOV 4 Pirates’ title hopes are in tatters after a 5-1 thumping by Cosmos at Soccer City.NOV 7 Thomas Madigage returns to Europe for a further set of trials – this time at Manchester City.NOV 9 Sono and his club are officially expelled from the NSL.NOV 11 An 85th minute penalty by Ace Khuse gives Chiefs a 4-3 win over Swallows and the Castle League title. Noel

Cousins scores one for Swallows to

finish leading goalscorer with 21 goals.NOV 15 Sono serves papers

in the Supreme Court to fight

expulsion.DEC 1 The NSL ban

clubs from signing any more foreign players.DEC 2 Palacios is appointed as new Chiefs coach with Ace Ntsoelengoe and Teenage Dladla his assistants.DEC 3 Umtata Bucks win promotion after beating Swaraj 2-1.DEC 5 Cosmos are re-instated into the NSL after an out of court settlement with the league.

DEC 7 Budgie Byrne is fired as coach of Hellenic, with Billy Anderson taking over. DEC 15 Cosmos’ August Makalakalane joins FC Zurich in Switzerland.DEC 19 Arcadia are up for sale, while Sundowns’

Scottish coach Stan Lapot quits.

NSL HISTORY 1989

ZIMBABWEFEATURE

WARRIORS

WAR CRY

Zimbabwe head to the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon early next year and providing the backbone for their challenge will be their plethora of

players in the Premier Soccer League.

BY LOVEMORE MOYO

ZIMBABWE FEATURE

The Warriors of Zimba-bwe are heading back to the African Nations Cup finals follow-ing an 11-year wait

during which the country’s image in football has been dragged through the mud and left severely bruised.

Much-publicised struggles with match-fixing has hit the country, which is reeling from the bite of an economic downturn.

However, qualification for the next continental championship will provide a refreshing feel for a nation whose qualifying campaign started in chaos with players having to contend with an overnight bus trip to Malawi for the opening group match.

Though only making their third appearance at the tournament, and despite a tough group that contains heavyweights Senegal, Algeria and Tunisia, there is some optimism: should the country’s best players be available for selection, The Warriors could eclipse their two previous showings that both ended in first round exits in 2004 and 2006, when the side finished bottom of their pools.

Zimbabwe feel they can upset the apple cart with Kaizer Chiefs’ Willard Katsande leading the charge.

“Obviously there will be pressure, but at the same time I’m happy with the pressure because it will be a great experience for us,” he says.

“I believe we have a solid team and all we need to do is perform when it comes to the matchday. We appeal to everyone in the Cosafa region to keep supporting us.

“At the same time they really need to believe and have confidence in us so that we can deliver on our goal to get past the group stages. In the knockout stages, anything can hap-pen. But we know that we are going there carrying an underdog tag, so

we just need to perform to the best of our ability without fear of being intimidated.”

The Warriors have previously played Algeria at the Nations Cup finals – winning 2-1 back in 2004 – but suc-cumbed to Senegal two years later.

Tunisia will be the only opponent they have never met at the finals, but for kingpin Khama Billiat, success in the African Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns has given him the belief to stand up to anyone.

“I believe we must go there and enjoy playing football without thinking too much about who the opponent is,” Billiat argues.

“I think we will be free to play without feeling the weight of expectations of all our other group opponents. All we need to do is apply ourselves the right way as a team, because I feel we are a unit capable of standing up to whatever comes our way. It will be good for us to go in as outsiders,” he says.

The team’s attack will have Billiat as the focal-point, but plenty of other strong options too, including former Brazilians player Nyasha Mushekwi, who has been scoring in the Chinese second tier at Dalian Yifang, where he finished on 19 goals.

Mushekwi is confident he can score goals in Gabon if given the chance.

“As a striker your primary function is to score, regardless of who the op-ponent is. We know all of them, but this is a finals and we all have to take our chances because all games will start goalless,” he contends.

Another in-form striker is Orlando Pirates forward Tendai Ndoro, who has been without doubt the leading forward in South Africa’s Premier Soc-cer League so far this season.

And another forward whose profile in the PSL keeps growing is Evans Rusike of Maritzburg United.

Rusike might be at minnows

WARRIORS

WAR CRY

(Above) Khama Billiat celebrates after scoring in a qualifier against Malawi.

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FEATURE ZIMBABWE

ZIMBABWE’S PSL STARS… Ajax Cape Town – Eric ChipetaBaroka FC – Marshall Munetsi, Cleopas DubeBidvest Wits – Cuthbert Malajila, Knox MutizwaHighlands Park – Tapuwa Kapini, Charlton Mashumba, Augustine MbaraKaizer Chiefs – Willard Katsande, Michelle Katsvairo, Edmore ChirambadareLamontville Golden Arrows – Kudakwashe Mahachi, Danny PhiriMamelodi Sundowns – Khama BilliatMaritzburg United – Blessing Moyo, Evans RusikeOrlando Pirates – Tendai NdoroPolokwane City – George ChigovaSuperSport United – Onismor Bhasera, Kingston Nkhatha

AND IN THE NFD … AmaZulu – Energy Murambadoro, Butholezwe Ncube Black Leopards – Ben Musaka FC Cape Town – Ranga Chivariro Magesi FC – Temptation ChiwungaMbombela United – Brighton ManhireUniversity of Pretoria – Ian Chikohwa, Obert TafiraWitbank Spurs – Takudzwa Ndoro, Elasto Kapowezha jnr, Patrick Mubayiwa, Peter Mubayiwa

Maritzburg, but has shown himself to be a dangerous forward who has scored against each of South Africa’s so-called ‘Big Three’ during his time in the PSL.

“We are obviously the underdogs in the group,” acknowledges Rusike.

“But the good thing is that they don’t know as much about us as we know about them, which makes their planning for us rather awkward and we need to take advantage of that.

“On our part, we can plan for them because they are in the spotlight and playing in the top European leagues that are always shown on television. It will be really difficult for them because they have less information about us.

“What will work in our favour is that we will also be able to raise our game, we have more to prove and are more motivated than them,” he reasons.

Such is the belief that Rusike – who top-scored at Maritzburg last season – says Zimbabwe can upset the odds in Gabon.

“I have a feeling we will surprise a lot of people. We stand the same chance as our opponents. Why should we fear when we are also professional footballers? We will go into every match that we play with the intention of winning,” he says.

Yet another forward option is Belgium-based Knowledge Musona, arguably the country’s leading striker over the last few years.

Zimbabwe also have vast experi-ence at the back, including in their goalkeeping departments.

Tapuwa Kapini remains the only survivor still playing in the PSL to have been there at both of The Warriors previous appearances at the Nations Cup finals.

“Based on my previous experience at this tournament the experience factor will definitely play a role at the Nations Cup finals,” says the 32 year-old.

“In 2004, Cameroon had Patrick M’Boma in their squad in the twilight of his

career and what he brought experience-wise carried them through.”

Coach Callisto Pasuwa has recently kept faith in South African-based keepers including George Chigova from Polokwane City, AmaZulu’s Energy Murambadoro and Alexandra Black Aces’ Washington Arubi.

“If there is one department that you want to be the backbone of your team, it is in goalkeeping, so it is best not to mess with it,” Kapini says. “I believe George’s physique will play a key role, while Arubi and Energy cannot be ignored. The coach has some serious decisions to make with regards to the keepers and I just hope he gets it all right,” Kapini says. KO

(Below) The Warriors have plenty options to choose from upfront, including Bucs hitman Tendai Ndoro.

A NATURAL FORCE

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THE JUSTICE FACTOR

Justice Chabalala has had a remarkable 12 months in which he has emerged from nowhere to become a PSL regular at Free State Stars and earn a move to Soweto giants Orlando Pirates.

BY LOVEMORE MOYO

JUSTICE CHABALALAFEATURE

Twelve months ago Justice Chabalala was playing in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge and waiting for his break into

the Free State Stars first team.His chance came when then coach

Ernst Middendorp handed him his debut late last year in a league match against University of Pretoria.

Since then, such has been Cha-balala’s meteoric rise that not only did he swiftly become a first team regular at Stars, he also ended up on the wanted list of Orlando Pirates, Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United.

Pirates won the race, and firm in the tackle, comfortable on the ball and blessed with a towering pres-ence, the Giyani-born defender has looked a perfect fit at centre-back since his arrival in Gauteng.

Pirates have, in recent years, lost Siyabonga Sangweni, Lucky Lekgwathi and Rooi Mahamutsa, and are look-ing for a new generation of central defenders. And Chabalala has so far delivered, grabbing two Man of the Match awards in his first four starts.

“In the games I have played I’ve done fairly well,” Chabalala tells KICK OFF. “It’s encouraging to have earned personal accolades, but what matters most is the team’s performance.

“I believe we must always work together because we need to feel like a family. Pirates are a big team that is always out to get results.”

He admits he was surprised at the clamour for his signature at the end of the last campaign.

“I was surprised because I had only played 18 games [plus four cup games] at Stars. In my mind I thought this was just the start, only to discover that many people had taken notice of me,” he says.

“I remember feeling frightened on my debut [for Stars], and had to be calmed down by my teammates. A year later, I have the courage to stand with pride here at Pirates and have the nerve to fight for the club.”

Having been developed at Mapay-eng Young Aces and Bilika All Stars back home, Chabalala found his way

to Stars through the club’s extensive scouting programme led by Themba Sithole. The youngster was spotted while leading All Stars in the SAB League regional play-offs which de-termined the teams that won promo-tion to the ABC Motsepe League.

Straight after guiding All Stars to promotion, he was then whisked away to Bethlehem where he was immediately tasked with captaining the club’s MDC team – doing so with aplomb for two years before Midden-

dorp handed him his break.

“I come from a background where instead of getting shoes

(Above) Chabalala has impressed in his first few months at Pirates.

for Christmas, my dad used to buy me boots because he was supportive of my football dreams. My mom was against me playing football though, instead insisting that I study and focus on household chores – so much so that she would beat me for prioritising football. Luckily my passion has taken me this far and she is happy for me now, and we laugh about it. I also have to give credit to Middendorp for showing faith in me by taking me from the MDC to the first team,” Chabalala says.

The defender reveals that he enjoys playing further up the field as well.

“I’ve played as a holding midfielder before and in situations when we had to chase a result, I’d play as a striker to add height to our attack. At Stars I also played some games at left-back.

“I am the kind of player who is comfortable playing anywhere as long as I am on the field,” he says. KO

“WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE TEAM’S PERFORMANCE.”

CHABALALA ON ERTUGRAL EXIT “Muhsin was a good coach with experience, but I think the way he spoke made some players not understand him which led to them not playing according to instructions,” he says.

“As human beings we react differently when addressed by someone who shouts at you and becomes aggressive in his speech. Someone who has a temper will make some players scared and panic, so much so that you end up shivering.

“I think it is fine that a coach shouts, but not all the time because as a human being you want to feel respected instead of being belittled.”

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KERMIT ERASMUSKermit Erasmus is yet to break through as a first team regular at French Ligue 1 side Rennes, but the former Orlando Pirates forward tells KICK OFF his time is coming.

BY SAMINDRA KUNTI

FACE TO FACEKICK OFF: This is your second spell in Europe. Describe your first ...KERMIT ERASMUS: My first spell in Europe, in Holland, was quite difficult because I went to Europe at a young age. I didn’t have anybody to support me in getting used to a different environment and a different country. I couldn’t talk to anybody. I was only 18 when I joined Feyenoord. Some big players were returning, like Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Roy Makaay. It was a good experience to gel with such players and to learn from them. I enjoyed my time there and I learnt a lot, but it was also a difficult period in my career. It was a learning lesson in terms of what to expect now that I have returned to Europe for a second time.

Did you feel written off after your Dutch spell?I didn’t pay attention to what the public and media thought and felt about my return to South Africa. It was all about how I felt. In my second season I went on loan to Excelsior and we gained promotion to the Eredivisie. When I returned for pre-season I met with Leo Beenhakker, the director of Feyenoord, and he told me that I wouldn’t be registered with the club, and that I wouldn’t be going on loan to Excelsior either because they would be sending other players on loan from the youth team to get game time in the Eredivisie. At the time, the rule was that only five players from one club could join a club in the same league – I wouldn’t be one of those players. The only option was to terminate my contract. My agent advised me to do so, but only offered me to go back to South Africa – he had a personal relationship withSuperSport United. In the long run,

it affected me in a negative way, but I have learned from those things. In my family, no-one has been in football and we don’t know how football is run, how the business works, but as you grow older, you learn. That’s one of the reasons I returned to South Africa. If my agent had been thinking more about my interests as a player at the time, I would have probably remained in Europe. That wasn’t the case. In that sense, I didn’t think about the public opinion, but I focused on what I wanted to do and my vision of going back to Europe. I knew what Europe was like and I wanted more. It made me hungry.

How different would your career have been if you had

managed to stay with Feyenoord?It’s difficult to say. You can’t predict what would have happened, but my career would have been definitely different – I might have gone a level up or down. But everything happens for a reason – perhaps I wouldn’t be as hungry as I am now if I had stayed. Going back to South Africa made me hungrier and I kept believing in my dream of returning to Europe. A lot of people looked at me and thought that it wouldn’t happen, but my belief, hard work and dedication made it happen.

In January you signed for Rennes. Why did you decide to leave Orlando Pirates?My idea was to come back to Europe. It had always been my ambition and the chairman of Pirates [Irvin Khoza] knew that. I didn’t keep it a secret. He was always open to give his blessing and that is why nobody knew about it until it actually happened. The chairman of Pirates works that way. He does things discreetly – when it is the right time for people to know, they will know.

You have said that Rennes found you by watching videos, can you elaborate a little bit?I was playing the [2015] African Confederation Cup with Pirates. Rennes

“I DIDN’T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA THOUGHT.”

uFull name: Kermit Romeo Erasmus uBorn: 8/7/90 in Port Elizabeth uSources: Rangers, Park United, SuperSport United juniors uDebut: Free

State Stars 1 SuperSport United 0 (as a sub, 2/12/07) uFull debut: Kaizer Chiefs 0 SuperSport United 1 (23/2/08) uFirst goal scored: SuperSport United 3 Ajax Cape Town 2 (4/3/08) uRennes debut: Rennes 2 Lyon 2 (as a sub, 13/5/16) uFull debut: Dijon 3 Rennes 0 (24/9/16) uInternational debut: South Africa 2 Niger 0 (4/9/10, Nations Cup qualifier) uFull debut: Zimbabwe 2 South Africa 1 (15/11/11, friendly) uFirst goal scored: South Africa 4 Botswana 1 (7/9/13) uHonours: 11 Full international caps (1 goal); Under-23, Under-20, Under-17 international; 2007/08 Premier Soccer League champion; 2012, 2014 Nedbank Cup winnerCareer history:SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS07/08 SuperSport United 6 (+ 5 subs) 108/09 Feyenoord (Holland) (6 subs only) 009/10 Excelsior (Holland, loan) 30 (+ 1 sub) 1210/11 SuperSport United 17 (+ 8 subs) 611/12 SuperSport United 14 (+ 11 subs) 712/13 SuperSport United 19 (+ 12 subs) 713/14 Orlando Pirates 23 (+ 12 subs) 814/15 Orlando Pirates 29 (+ 9 subs) 1615/16 Orlando Pirates 20 (+ 5 subs) 5

Rennes (France) (2 subs only) 016/17 Rennes 1 (+ 5 subs) 0Totals: 159 62 Correct as at 11/11/16. League and cup matches. Charity games and friendlies not included.

(Right) Erasmus is hoping to establish himself in the Rennes starting XI.


KERMIT ERASMUS

SOCCER AT ITS BEST

KERMIT ERASMUS


had been scouting me since November. After the final, Pirates told me that a French team was interested. That’s how the deal happened. I talked to Rennes and they agreed terms with Pirates. Then I left for France to do a medical. When I passed the medical, I signed my contract.

What do you think Rennes saw in you?I think they noticed my sharpness, agility to move, speed, ability to change direction, my technical ability, and my eye for goal. Also the fact that I can move in small spaces and create chances. I think outside the box when I am in tight situations.

So it’s about versatility?Yes. My versatility is a big part of it, because the French league is very PI

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intense and there is very little time to think. You have to be alert at all times. There isn’t room for mistakes. That’s one of the reasons I think why they decided to sign me.

The French League is intense, but in which way is it different from the PSL?In the PSL you get a lot of chances. You only lose or draw games if you don’t take your chances. When you play for Pirates, the opposition will only get two or three chances. If they score and we don’t, we lose, but if we convert our five chances we win 5-0. In France, you only get one chance or a half chance the entire game. When you play against Monaco and you concede a chance, guaranteed it’s a goal. That’s the difference – playing in Ligue 1 you always have to be

alert and focused, and when you get chances, you have take them.

Does that sometimes push you out of your comfort zone?Yes, it does, but it pushes me out of my comfort zone in a way that helps improve me as a player. It improves my game. I first started training with Rennes in January and I can say that I am much sharper now and have better concentration. I have improved a lot and I am adapting well to the standard of the French League, even though it is just training. One of the assistant coaches, ‘Bobo’ [Bouziane Benaraibi] has told me that ‘you are a different player from when you arrived at the beginning of the year and you are much sharper.’ That is a plus and I try to keep improving every training session.

You signed right when Rennes switched coaches with Courbis coming in for Montanier. Did that make your arrival more difficult?No. My arrival was just after Courbis came. The club spoke to the coach and he was quite happy with me. He watched the footage Rennes had put together and he liked my play. With the little time he had to get results, it was difficult to show what I could do and get a fair chance to show what I am capable of.

Rennes wasn’t a stable club when you arrived ...There was no stability, but that wasn’t a problem. Rennes signed me because I was a player of the type they were looking for. I was the player they chose.

Last season you featured in games vs Lyon and Bastia ...I was out of breath in the first game against Lyon from the moment I came on! The game was so intense. We were 2-1 down and we tried to get the equaliser, and it was a great experience to understand the level that I am facing. After the game, it made me realise I had a lot to do to get to that level. We managed to equalise and that was good. It is good when you come on as a substitute and you somehow influence the game in a positive way, and help the team get a draw or three points. It was a good feeling.

(Right) Erasmus in action against Dijon, his first start of the season.

(Bottom) Erasmus has been surprised by the intensity of Ligue 1.

FACE TO FACE KERMIT ERASMUS


“EVERY TRAINING SESSION IS LIKE A TRIAL TO PROVE YOURSELF FOR THE MATCH.”

Rennes finished eighth. Was that a disappointing result for the club?Definitely! The Europa League was in reach. Unfortunately, we just fell short, but we have the ambition for this season. We will do the best we can and we will see what happens. Everything is possible. There is no weak team in the French league. It depends on who is good on the day.

Ousmane Dembele left for Borussia Dortmund ... that’s surely a big blow for the team this season? Ousmane was a big outlet for the team. If he was on form, the team would be on form. He could change the game at any given moment and could easily dribble past five or six players without effort. That’s how good he was – how good he is in fact! It’s a bit of a deficit, but it gives an opportunity for other players to step up.

Dembele was an example of the competition you face at Rennes. Last season coach Courbis said that you were being prepared for this campaign – do you feel like that? In a way I feel like that, but in another way I don’t really. It would put unnecessary pressure on myself, but even though I am a striker, I am also a creative player. I can create chances and I can create something out of nothing. I can make something happen when things are not going well. That’s the type of player I believe I am. It’s not that I don’t believe that I can’t fill the void Ousmane left, but the level of football that he plays and that I am playing are totally different – the type of football is also completely different. He is more of a winger, and I am more of a striker and number 10. It’s a very big void to fill, because we are totally different, with different qualities. He is more explosive and I am more of explosive in small spaces. He runs more, dribbles, and sprints 50-60 meters. I am more a 20-30 meter sprinter, an explosive sprinter. I know I was tipped to fill the void he left, and I feel if I am given the chance and given enough game time I can definitely do that.

How have you experienced the new season so far? It hasn’t gone the way I would have

liked it to have gone [lowers his voice]. It’s the case of every football player – you are never too happy with the way things go, but I have been working hard in training, waiting for my chance to play. I started one game. It wasn’t the best game I have played, but it was in difficult circumstances, losing 3-0 away from home. It was a difficult match to start and the team didn’t start the match well either. I am focusing on getting more game time and playing more regularly. With more game time, I can only improve and that’s what it is all about!

How is your relationship with the new coach Christian Gourcuff?We don’t speak a lot, but he is always encouraging me in training. He compliments me when I do things well. He pushes me when I make mistakes. Gourcuff is not the type of coach who speaks a lot. He is reserved and quiet, but he knows when a player can do better or improve. Then he will raise his voice. He compliments players when they do well. I appreciate that from a coach – knowing the characters of the players and what would benefit the team. It hasn’t gone your way yet, but

what are your ambitions for this season?First all, just to play more. That is my only ambition at the moment – to be more involved with the team on the field, to decide games. I want to be an important player for the team.

You have always stated that Rennes want to play European football. What can the club realistically achieve this season?For sure. It is doable, because PSG’s ranking in the Champions League last season has created a few additional European tickets for Ligue 1. We finished eighth last season. We were two or three points from a European berth. If we had won against Lyon and Bastia, Rennes would have gone to the Europa League. It is possible. Rennes has quality players. It is a good team with chemistry and young players. They are hungry. Every training session is like a trial to prove yourself for the match in the weekend. It is good to have competition in the team and it is good to have that European ambition as a unit. KO

BAFANA RETURN?You maintain you are ready to return to Bafana Bafana when Shakes Mashaba leaves office?Yes. I don’t really like to talk to much about Bafana. I have said my bit and am focusing on where I am at the moment and on trying to play regularly. I stick to what I have said – that won’t change. If that was a big concern, something would have been done. If it doesn’t bother them [SAFA], it doesn’t bother me, you know?

FACE TO FACEKERMIT ERASMUSKERMIT ERASMUS


JOSEPH MAKHANYAFormer winger Joseph ‘Duku Duku’ Makhanya spent 10 years at Orlando Pirates before going on to play at Mpumalanga Black Aces and Moroka Swallows. He has now come full circle and is coaching at his boyhood team Kagiso Porto FC, as he reflects on a

career that never quite reached its full potential.

BY MAKHOSONKE ‘PROFF’ ZUMA

FACE TO FACE

KICK OFF: Firstly, how did you get your nickname? JOSEPH MAKHANYA: I actually don’t know who gave it to me. But in my first game for Pirates in the 2000/01 season I came off the bench with us leading 1-0. I did my thing, ngabanyakazisa [shaking things up], and the score was eventually 2-2. After that they started calling me ‘Duku Duku’. But I had lots of other nicknames, like Ncane [small], for obvious reasons. In the development team they used to call me Rivaldo – I had a lot of nicknames!

You are now back where you started, at Kagiso Porto FC, but this time as a coach …I started my playing career at Kagiso Porto FC and today I am part of the coaching team. I’m here to give back to the community and to give these kids some hope. I’m a role model to these kids; whatever I say or do, they listen. I think they believe, ‘If he can do it, I can do it as well’. I like to think I’m playing a big role here. I also have a project in the community that I’m working on. Every Monday we meet local coaches and try to help them. I’m trying to bring back football in my area, especially in Kagiso. I’ve been completing various coaching courses – I’ve done my SAFA C License and I’llbe doing my B License soon. I’m tryingto get as much coaching knowledge aspossible so I can also help those who

are below me.How did you end up at Pirates? Who scouted you? Kagiso Porto FC played against Pirates before they had proper development structures, before [Augusto] Palacios was involved. Pirates were invited to play against us at our ground in Kagiso and we defeated them 2-0 … and I scored! I remember that game very well … I was playing behind the strikers. Pirates called my parents and said, ‘your son is very good, we want to give him a PSL contract’. My father had to drop everything and go to Pirates with my mother so I could sign the contract. I was scared to sign it alone as I was still a teenager – I think I was 18. But it was a great feeling as I grew up supporting Pirates.

You made 127 starts for Pirates in 10 years. Should you have started more?While at Pirates I was coached by

close to 10 coaches. Every season the coached used to change and just when I got game-time under one, another came in. I feel I could have contributed more, but what I am happy about is I created a lot of goals for other players like Lesley [Manyathela] and Phumudzo [Manenzhe].

Which coach got the best out of you? It has to be Kosta Papic … Kosta and Augusto. When Augusto gave the team to Kosta, it was a team that was already playing together from development. One thing I liked about Kosta is that he never restricted you. Some coaches tell you when you go forward you must attack this way and

“YOU WOULD PAY JUST TO WATCH OUR TRAINING SESSIONS!”

(Above) The youth of Kagiso are learning from the experience of Makhanya.

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that way, but Kosta used to encourage us to be who we were on the field and enjoy ourselves. That was some team under Papic with Steve Lekoelea, Gift Leremi, Benedict Vilakazi, Lebohang Mokoena ...What is sad about this team is that we didn’t win a cup to show for it, but as for entertainment … you would pay just to watch our training sessions! People wanted to watch entertaining football and we provided it. Can you imagine people being at

the stadium and not enjoying what they are watching? People have paid their money and they want to be entertained. We did that. Even today the fans are still talking about what we used to do on the field, even though we didn’t win any cups.

You also captained Pirates …Being a captain is something big ... being a captain of Orlando Pirates is something that

one must cherish. There is pressure for Oupa [Manyisa] this season as Pirates want to celebrate their 80th anniversary with a cup. Oupa is a quiet guy, but has leadership and the way he plays says a lot. When the team is down, you need an Oupa Manyisa to take charge. The players at Pirates have got a lot of respect for him.

You moved to Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2011 on loan. How did you find that?The environment was very different! When I arrived at the Aces offices they asked, ‘who is this?’ and at Pirates I would get hugs and people saying, ‘here’s our kid’ as they knew me from development. At Black Aces the environment was cold … I knew I was there just to do a job. If you call yourself a professional, you have to adjust. After that loan spell you left Pirates for Moroka Swallows. Were you expecting that? When I returned from Black Aces I told the chairman [Irvin Khoza] I was ready to play. He said, ‘I’m happy that you are back and I can see that you got some game time.’ My contract was almost up, and there were new people in charge – Screamer [Tshabalala] and Floyd [Mbele]– so decisions were made by them on the signing of players. I still believe the chairman didn’t want me to go, but he said if I stayed, I might go back to the bench again. I didn’t want that. Swallows come with an offer and I decided to take it as I wanted to play. I enjoyed my stay there, and that’s why after Swallows I said I didn’t want to play for another team. Swallows mustn’t vanish because of their history … they must be up there with the likes of Pirates, Chiefs and Sundowns. KO

(Top) Makhanya has over a century of Bucs starts to his name.

(Above) ‘Duku Duku’ in action for Pirates in 2005.

DERBY DELIGHTQ You played

in a number of Soweto Derby matches. Which one stands out?A Obviously the

one that I scored in! I think it was the 2005/06 season and we won that game 1-0. I used to enjoy the atmosphere of all the derbies. I was never afraid, even though you knew it was a stage where you had to perform for the fans. Some of the players felt the pressure, but not me. I loved playing in front of those 90 000 supporters.

uFull name: Mbutisi Joseph Makhanya uBorn: 15/9/81 in Kagiso, SowetouNickname: Duku-Duku uOriginal club: Kagiso Porto FC (amateur team)

uSource: Orlando Pirates juniors uDebut: Orlando Pirates 2 Golden Arrows 2 (as a sub, 17/2/01) uFull debut: Orlando Pirates 0 Classic 0 (3/10/01) uFirst goal scored: Greenpoint Vultures 1 Orlando Pirates 4 (4/3/01, Bob Save Super Bowl) uHonours: 1 Full international; 21 Under-23 caps (2 goals), 10 Under-20 caps; 2000/01, 2002/03 PSL championCareer history:SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS00/01 Orlando Pirates (7 subs only) 101/02 Orlando Pirates 11 (+ 5 subs) 002/03 Orlando Pirates 13 (+ 13 subs) 003/04 Orlando Pirates 30 (+ 9 subs) 404/05 Orlando Pirates 11 (+ 16 subs) 105/06 Orlando Pirates 37 (+ 5 sub) 206/07 Orlando Pirates 10 (+ 6 sub) 007/08 Orlando Pirates 11 (+ 13 subs) 208/09 Orlando Pirates 4 (+ 1 sub) 009/10 Orlando Pirates (1 sub only) 010/11 Orlando Pirates Did not play Black Aces 10 (+ 1 sub) 011/12 Moroka Swallows 19 (+ 4 subs) 112/13 Moroka Swallows (11 subs only) 0Totals: 156 11 Correct as at 11/11/16. League and cup matches. Charity games and friendlies not included.


INTERNATIONAL Battle of the CoachesFEATURE

The incredible tale of former Ajax Cape Town playmaker Seydouba Soumah and how a chance encounter 11 years ago would shape the career of a player now making waves in Europe.

BY MARK GLEESON

A GAME OF CHANCESEYDOUBA SOUMAH


INTERNATIONALBattle of the Coaches FEATURE

A GAME OF CHANCESEYDOUBA SOUMAHSEYDOUBA SOUMAH

From juggling the ball behind the goals as Ajax Cape Town trained for a cup tie in Africa to playing for his

country at the African Nations Cup, Seydouba Soumah has walked a circuitous road to Eu-ropean football via the Premier Soccer League.

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis tells the incred-ible story, from the days when he was still boss of local rivals Ajax, of a ball wizard who could have been a local legend.

“Having come second in the league in 2004 with Gordon Igesund, we were then privileged to play in the Champions League. One of our outings was in Guinea, against Fello Star in Conakry,” Comitis tells KICK OFF.

“We played them here and beat them 2-0, and then we went away. In typical form, they put us in some hotel in the middle of nowhere. But the hotel was actually pretty good because it was on the coast, so we had sea views and there was a pool ... it was one of the better facilities.

“We were taken to training in midday heat. It was the only time they said they had for us. They tried to make it as difficult as possible. It took an hour-and-a-half to get there – it was really rural. The field was decent though, in a little stadium there.

“We realised this was where


standing around and starting to cheer him.

“I said to him, ‘You look older than 12’. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I’m 12’. We found out later he was 13-and-a-half. We asked him if he could play. He said, ‘Yes I can play’. So we got him into the five-a-side game and our guys couldn’t get the ball off him.

“He was so quick, knocking the ball off ... it was an amazing thing to see in a kid so young. When we finished training, I asked ‘Where do you live?’ It was in the next door village. So we took him in the bus, and with all the Ajax players still in the bus, I went to see his mother.

“His elder brother was there also and I found out he had played for Guinea’s national team. I asked his mother, ‘Can I take your boy back to South Africa? I’ll adopt him as his guardian’. We arranged to meet his brother later at the hotel (see picture below).

“He came and we spoke for a long time. I said, ‘Look, we’ll do whatever we need to do to get him to South Africa and put him in the Ajax academy’. The family said they would be delighted.

“It took me eight months of paperwork, going through the immigration and guardian process. When he came here he was already 14. We stuck him in the Under-15 team. After one training session, we moved him to the Under-17s. Literally one training session, it was so obvious how good he was.

“A year or two later, Muhsin Ertugral had joined Ajax and he stuck Soumah in the first team at the age of 16. When he played in a friendly against Vasco [da Gama], I thought to myself, ‘Right, here is a player’.

“He was

FEATURE SEYDOUBA SOUMAH

uFull name: Seydouba Guinéenne Soumah uBorn: 11/6/91 in Conakry, Guinea uSources: Ajax Cape Town juniors uPSL debut: Platinum Stars

0 Ajax Cape Town 3 (as a sub, 23/1/11) uFull debut: Bloemfontein Celtic 0 Ajax Cape Town 0 (2/2/11) uFirst goal scored: Ajax Cape Town 2 Mpumalanga Black Aces 1 (6/3/11) uBratislava debut: Slovan Bratislava 2 Banská Bystrica 2 (16/3/13) uFull debut: Slovan Bratislava 5 Tatran Prešov 0 (29/3/13) uFirst goal scored: Slovan Bratislava 5 Spartak Myjava 0 (4/8/13) uHonours: Full Guinea international; 2012/13, 2013/14 Slovak First Division champion; 2012/13 Slovak Cup winner; 2014/15 Slovak Super Cup winner; 2015/16 Kuwaiti Premier League championCareer history:SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS08/09 Ajax Cape Town Did not play Ikapa Sporting (Div. 1, loan) 4 (+ 9 subs) 309/10 FC Cape Town (Div. 1, loan) 2 (+ 5 subs) 010/11 Ajax Cape Town 5 (+ 6 subs) 111/12 Ajax Cape Town Did not play University of Pretoria (Div. 1, loan) 3 (+ 5 subs) 2 FC Nitra (Slovakia) 13 212/13 FC Nitra 10 5 Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) 8 (+ 4 subs) 013/14 Slovan Bratislava 9 (+ 8 subs) 414/15 Slovan Bratislava 31 (+ 5 subs) 915/16 Qadsia SC (Kuwait, loan) No data available16/17 Slovan Bratislava 19 (+ 1 sub) 10Totals: 124 36 Correct as at 11/11/16. League and cup matches. Charity games and friendlies not included.

(Below) Comitis meets Soumah’s brother at a hotel in Guinea in 2005.

we were going to play the game.“It was so hot. There was a

particular edge to the heat: there were vultures in the air at all time, almost circling above us.

“The players had their tops off for training, it was so humid. We are sitting watching from the side as Gordon had the players in a little five v five game.

“Behind the goals while we were training, there was this young boy juggling a tennis ball. When I say to you that I didn’t see it drop more than three times in half an hour, I’m not kidding. He used left foot, right foot, knee, on the back of his neck, on his head. I couldn’t believe it.

“Gordon comes up to me, midway through the session, and asks, ‘Have you been watching this kid?’ I said, ‘Yes, can you believe it? Call him here’. So he calls the kid over and he is all shy. I speak French, so I asked him, ‘How old are you?’

He said, ‘I’m 12’. ‘Can you do this with the big ball?’ We threw him the ball and he started to juggle it. It was absolute wizardry. Our players were

20401JS_Balti_KO 2016-10-27T13:52:15+02:00


very good with the ball, but didn’t participate much off the ball. He developed into a natural playmaker. Muhsin loved what he could do, but unfortunately didn’t push him further.

“Every time I proposed the player to the next coaches after Muhsin, they all said, ‘Ja, but he doesn’t work off the ball’ … and this and that. But let me tell you, this kid could play. He is the kind of player that a team can afford to carry.

“You’ve got to back him because he’s the magic – the rest can work around him. When the kid started really getting frustrated, I thought, ‘Let me loan him out to Ikapa Sporting’. He went there for one season. In the beginning he was great and then they had him on the bench. He was even more frustrated.

“Errol Dicks from FC Cape Town then got involved and he had connections with clubs in eastern Europe. I let him

go to give him a chance, although as his guardian he still called me for advice. I couldn’t deliver for him even though I knew what he could do. I can’t tell coaches ‘play him’. I was really frustrated. And they all missed it.

“Gordon missed it, Muhsin missed it. Errol took him to Slovakia, to Nitra, were he immediately impressed and they signed him. I checked the contract, it was small but decent money. Eventually he played himself into favour and Slovan Bratislava, one of the biggest clubs in that country, came to sign him.

“It was about a R2-million deal. There he did hell of a well. They

loaned him out to make some money to Kuwait in the Middle East, where they were paying him 14 000 Euros a month (about R200 000).

“He went there because of the financial incentive. Bratislava have since taken him back and he is now their best paid earner. They are a Champions League side. He’s the king and now the top scorer as well.

“After doing so well overseas, he got a call up from his country and he has now joined his brother as an international. He played for them in the last Nations Cup finals in Equatorial Guinea and is now their lead striker in the World Cup qualifiers.” KO

“HE’S THE KING AND NOW THE TOP SCORER AS WELL.”

FEATURE SEYDOUBA SOUMAH

(Above) Soumah, now a Guinea international, is thriving at club side Slovan Bratislava.

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TOMORROW STARTS TODAY

Coach Thabo Senong has a plan to get the South Africa Under-20 side to the World Cup in South Korea and it starts with the 2016 Cosafa Under-20

Championships that will be played in the North West from December 7-16.

BY NICK SAID

South Africa coach Thabo Senong is excited to unleash his “interesting discoveries” on the 2016 Cosafa Under-20 Cham-

pionships after an extensive scouting operation to find the next generation of young players to take the country’s football forward.

Senong has his eye on qualifying his side for the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea next year, but is also looking beyond that for this group of players who he hopes will also qualify the team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and ultimately go on to rep-resent the country at senior national team level.

That journey for many of the players will start in the North West province where the regional championship is to be staged for the first time since 2013 after PPC came on board as a sponsor.

There will be bigger fish to fry in the future, but for now Senong is com-pletely focussed on South Africa’s first round opponents Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland, the first hurdles in their long road to the World Cup.

“None of these will be easy sides, we cannot underestimate any of them,” Senong tells KICK OFF. “Take Lesotho for example: they have their under-20 players in camp on a perma-nent basis.

“The players train with the national team every Monday-Wednesday, then Thursday and Friday they train with their respective clubs for the matches

FEATURE THABO SENONG


on the weekend.“That gives the coach a lot of time

to work with them, so they will be very organised and very well-drilled.

“I have travelled to Swaziland to watch them play, they are a very physical side with some big boys. They play a very direct style of football.

“Botswana have identified some very tall players and play with forceful strikers, so they will be a handful too.”

Senong has already held one “ex-ploratory camp” at the end of October where he says he made some “interest-ing discoveries”.

“We will combine these with many of the players who were at the [2015] Under-17 World Cup, a core of nine players who qualified us for the African Under-20 Championships and then some players from overseas.”

The overseas quartet who Senong is eager to draft into his squad are excit-ing winger Luther Singh (GAIS, Swe-den), Thabo Cele (Real Sport Clube, Portugal), Liam Jordan (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal) and Zama Ramabu-wane (Hapoel Ra’anana, Israel).

“It’s important to have these players at the Cosafa tournament to give them an opportunity to gel with the team and adapt to how we want to play.”

Senong says the tournament forms part of the short-, medium- and long-term plans of the national side.

“The short-term objective is to do well in the Cosafa tournament. This is where it all starts. The medium-term plan is to qualify for the Under-20

World Cup by finishing in the top four at the African championships in Zambia, and the long-term plan is to take this group into the Under-23s and qualify for the Olympic Games in 2020.

“The whole outlook of South African football would look better if we qualify for the Olympics for a second time in a row.”

But the coach admits there are hurdles along the way, not least trying

to prise players away from their clubs as all these tournaments, including next year’s World Cup, fall outside of Fifa dates.

“Co-operation is needed from Premier Soccer League clubs as well as those overseas, which is something we are working on,” Senong says.

“[Safa] Techni-cal director Neil Tovey and CEO Dennis Mumble have been engag-ing with clubs about this.

“For the Under-23s, where I was assistant coach to Owen da Gama

when we qualified for the Olympics, the PSL stopped the league so the best players could be available. For the Under-20s, our success will be depen-dant on the co-operation of clubs.

“Guys like Luyanda Ntshangase [Maritzburg United], Phakamani Mahlambi [Bidvest Wits] and three from the NFD – Lindokuhle Mtshali, Zola Jingxi and Jamie Webber [Stellen-bosch FC] – are all crucial to the team, but can we get them released? It will be our biggest challenge.

“Look at Orlando Pirates, they have released our captain Tercious Malepe for our camps and tournaments, even though he has been in their match-day 18 in the PSL.

“We qualified [for the African Youth Championships] without conceding a goal and he was a big part of that.”

Senong, who says his passion lies in scouting new players for all national teams levels, has worked at Safa since 2012, first at Under-17 level as as-sistant to current senior national team coach Shakes Mashaba, before follow-ing the latter up through the levels to the senior team.

“In Netherlands and Germany, for example, they have fulltime scouts whose only job is to find players for the national teams. We don’t have that. My passion is scouting for players and entering them into the national database of Safa so we can track their progress.

“But I have always said I don’t want to be a coach who receives recom-mendations over the phone ... I want to see the player for myself. So I move around and watch as many games as I can at all levels.

“I have also travelled all over the region to gather information on our opponents. I record games of oppo-nents and study them because I want to give my players as much informa-tion as possible. I believe that is one of the reasons why we qualified for Zambia without conceding a goal – we were very well prepared.

“I have a CAF B and A license, my Safa Level III and a Fifa Youth Coach-ing License, so I feel I bring some modern football ideas to the technical teams that I work in, especially around how to balance the loading and re-covery of players so they can peak on match day. I like to think I bring a lot of energy and passion too.” KO

(Above) Senong hopes to breed a new crop of successful youngsters in the junior national teams.

HOW KICK OFF HELPED SENONGThabo Senong got a helping hand in his career from KICK OFF.

“I was a youth coach at the Diambars Academy in Johannesburg, where Lebogang Mothiba [now Lille, France] was,” Senong says. “KICK OFF was running a competition for aspiring coaches to attend a course with Raymond Verheijen, who is one of the world’s leading conditioning coaches and has worked with teams like Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City, and attended three World Cups with the Netherlands as well.

“I had to write an article on coaching and the best one would be chosen as the winner to attend this course, which was the first of its kind in South Africa and very expensive.

“I sent mine in and won, so I got to attend the course because of KICK OFF. It was an amazing experience and I learnt a huge amount.”

FEATURETHABO SENONG

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The Ultimate ExperienceThe KFC Ultimate Guys’ Day saw readers from KICK OFF and TopCar Magazine come together to experience a day of adventure and fun as we traversed the length of Gauteng on a memorable joy ride.

BY THEMBALEZWE MNTAMBO

7am – Rise and shineEighteen lucky participants, together with their chosen partners, gathered at Media Park in Auckland Park for a brief introduction and registration session topped off with a cup of much needed coffee before we headed off for the day’s activities.

9:30am – Full throttle With the temperature steadily rising in Tshwane, things were only going to get hotter with what our sponsors General Motors had in store for us at the Gerotek test-driving facility. From dirt road bundu-bashing with Isuzu 4x4s, speed track race driving in brand new Chevrolet Trailblazers to skidding around a wet obstacle course in the latest Opel Adam, each activity left huge smiles on the guys’ faces.



2pm – Double Down delightThe post-adrenaline downer necessitated some serious refueling to get the energy levels back up. Luckily our headline sponsors KFC had a special treat up their sleeve as they introduced the new double chicken fillet, double cheese, Double Down burger. The perfect pre-game meal!

3pm – Diski waya-wayTraffic delayed our entry into the ‘Calabash’ but this did little to dampen the mood as we made our way to the top-tier stands for a spectacular view of the Soweto Derby. Pity about the goalless final result, however the electric atmosphere and revelry made up for it.

1 Thumbs ups to KFC for the Double Down lunch meal.

2 A short brief before the off-road challenge in Isuzu 4x4s.

3 The Opel Adam taken for a slippery spin.

4 The new Chevrolet Trailblazer in all its powerful glory.

5 Getting into the Soweto Derby spirit.

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7pm – All laughsWe touched down at the Goliath Comedy Club in Melrose Arch for the final leg of the day. After being welcomed by friendly staff, we tucked into to an array of platters as conversation flowed before the show. Unlike the match earlier, each comedian that stepped on stage hit the back of the net with punchlines. What a way to end things off!

11pm – Farewell As midnight approached we were back at Media Park for the final goodbyes. How quickly time flies when you’re having fun! Thanks to our wonderful readers for spending time with us – at least now we know a few of you by name and face. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did putting it together for you with the help of our sponsors KFC and General Motors. To those of you who missed out this time, there’s still hope. We’ll be doing it again next year!

6 Comedian Jason Goliath gets the crowd going.

7 The Goliath Comedy Club in Melrose Arch.

8 All smiles and laughs for UGD event.

9 Team photo at Media Park.

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DOUBLE FILLETDOUBLE CHEESEDOUBLE FILLETDOUBLE CHEESE


It’s time to Kick Off! The first hurdle for Kick Off started when South Africa got its first non-racial election in the new democracy. I’ve always been a huge fan of South African football and having reached two decades in the obstacle of the local football fraternity, you have always brought out the best of football stories. You’re the birth of South African football stories.

You’ve shown excellence in bringing us authentic, creative South African football stories and written remark-able diski stories of South African football history. Hard work breeds success!

I write this poem to honour Kick Off because you instil hope in soccer fans of our nation. I wish all the best for Kick Off in the future and I feel that writing this poem is an opportunity to show my gratitude to Kick Off for your hard work.

The best is still to come!Kick Off is the leading

magazine in telling South African football stories.

Looking to the future! Knowledge is power!

Kick Off!Ntandazo Unathi Skeyi

LETTERSSTAR LETTER

To air your views, send your letters to Kick Off, People’s Forum, PO Box 16368, Vlaeberg, 8018 or e-mail them to [email protected] views expressed in the letters published in People’s Forum do not reflect the views of KICK OFF magazine, its editor, publisher or Media24. The editor reserves the right to edit and shorten letters. Letters shorter than 200 words will be given preference.

Keep it up, Kick Off!

Respect the refsFootball is known to be a game of opinions and rules. It is a well-known fact that soccer is a game of emo-tions, but our behaviour and emotions have to be strictly controlled. No human being is perfect. Match officials are human and are bound to make mistakes. Some coach-es think they can reverse or give instructions to referees. But all need to respect and comply to the rules of the beautiful game.

Andrew Noge

Club above country?African countries need to find a way to deal with the prob-lem of ‘club versus country’ every time overseas-based players are called to do duty for the national team. Players based in Europe always find it difficult to secure their release from clubs when na-tional call-ups coincide with crucial club matches. Many players based abroad easily forget that the national team was a springboard to their international careers. It is becoming common practice that players use the national team to get lucrative offers, but then dump the national side later on.

Vusimuzi Tlou


You’re the man! Step out in confidence, pride and class with Lenthéric Masculin. This festive season, Lenthéric presents a series of unmistakably manly treats for your senses to feast on. Whether you are Extreme, Power, Intense, Bold, Force or Impact, find your perfect match with this special Lenthéric Masculin set and celebrate the man you are.

KICK OFF brings you the best selection of accessories, gadgets and tech to make sure you keep up with the latest trends.

Smart EleganceR3999 @ Game, Dion Wired, Foschini and Edcon Group storesVery few devices on the market offer the same value in price, style and performance like the Hisense Infinity Elegance. Take, for example, its fingerprint recognition system, data-save mode and 32GB of on-board storage. Top this off with a 13MP rear and 5MP front-facing camera for selfies and you have a phone to help you take on the world.

Comforting touchIt’s ok to use a hot water bottle, men do that. When you need that extra bit of warmth or comfort in bed it’s fine to turn to a hot water bottle. That’s manly. There are many kinds of men, but there’s one thing for every one of them. The KFC Double Down, the burger that’s got chicken instead of buns cause they were just getting in the way of sorting out man hunger. As you can imagine, it’s ridicu-lously tasty and filling.

Knit to perfection It’s ok to knit, men do that. It’s fine if you want to learn how to knit a rug or jersey from scratch. That’s manly. There are many kinds of men, but there’s one thing for every one of them. The KFC Double Down, the burger that’s got chicken instead of buns cause they were just getting in the way of sorting out man hunger. As you can imagine, it’s ri-diculously tasty and filling.

WIN one of five Lenthéric Masculin sets worth R1000, each consisting of 6x 100ml Fragrances, 6x Deodorant, 6x Roll-On and 1x Body Lotion. Send your name and contact number to [email protected]. Use ‘Man Up With Masculin’ in the subject line.

WIN


LAUGH OUT LOUD

CONTACT PROFF To get in touch with Proff, check him out on Facebook – www.facebook.com/ProffsFanZone - or catch him on www.kickoff.com/forum

LAUGH OUT LOUDWITH PROFF

Kaizer Chiefs’ 2016/17 promise ...First haircut: What Kaizer Chiefs promised before the start of the 2016/17 season!Second haircut: What Kaizer Chiefs are actually doing ...

Comedy never stops at the SABCAfter Sundowns won the CAF Champions League in Egypt against Zamalek, SABC interviewed Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba. However, what was shown on TV stunned a lot of people as SABC mistakenly wrote Anthony Laffor’s name in the caption instead!

Kaizer Chiefs depart WhatsApp group It was so tough for Kaizer Chiefs to see Mamelodi Sundowns win the CAF Champions League that they had to leave the Premier Soccer League WhatsApp group without congratulating the new continental champions.

Ref hits back after fan abuse A non-league match in England was suspended after the referee had an argu-ment with a fan who was not happy with his decisions – the referee refused to carry on play unless the fan was removed. When officials did not agree with the referee, the referee called off the match!

Danny Drinkwater’s evil brother? We all know Danny Drinkwater of Leicester City, right? Well, meet this Leicester fan who goes by the name of Drink Jack Daniels. Looks like he’ll need a lot of that Jack Daniels this season as the Foxes continue to struggle in the Premier League ...

Deep in thought ...When all your teammates and technical team are celebrating victory, but you receive a text saying they saw your girlfriend in a Volkswagen GTI ...

Moment of the Year? This must be the funniest moment of 2016! Gefle IF celebrated a 1-0 win at Kalmar FF with their only away supporter, who made the 1 126km round trip in Sweden to see his side win.

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T here is nothing worse for a fit, young professional footballer than to be

injured. Being healthy and fit is everything you aim to be in order to do your job on the field, so when your body can’t operate at 100 percent it has a massive effect on your confidence.

Being part of a professional team means you are also always competing, either with your own defenders in individual battles on the training pitch or with opponents during matches. But the most competition is among players in the team who play the same position as you.

There’s always the one youngster in the squad who has his eye on your position. So when you pick up an injury, he can smell blood. You think it’s just a small knock, but the physio thinks it’s worse and tells the coach you can’t train for at least a week.

A whole week on the sidelines! It’s torture. You must must come in to training and you sit on the sidelines watching the youngster taking part in all the team drills and secretly you hope he is terrible, but he actually does well and you see your team-mates all patting him on the back and encouraging him. You feel terrible.

Then the comments start. As the players walk off the pitch you hear them. “Take as long as you want old man, we won’t miss you!” says one. “The team looks better already, we should have kicked you sooner!” says another.

These used to be your friends, but now you are not one of

BEING INJURED IS WORSE THAN DEATH!

“TAKE AS LONG AS YOU WANT OLD MAN, WE WON’T MISS YOU!”them. Injured players are often looked at as weak. It’s all about your power and strength when you are a professional, and nobody wants to be associated with weakness.

The youngster comes up and asks how you doing. Is he being genuine or is he trying to find out how long he’s got to keep your place? Every comment is treated with suspicion. He’s a good kid, and you like him, but right now you want him to play really badly so that your team-mates will tell you how much they miss you.

The coach calls you into his office and tells you they have seen the reports from the physio and you have a minor tear which

means you will be out for up to four weeks. NOOOO!!!

This is worse than death. A full month of sitting and watching, and taking abuse, and hoping the youngster is terrible. A full month of rehab, ice baths, acupuncture and walking like a cripple. This is often the situation players find themselves in and they don’t really know how to cope. Some find comfort with a few extra drinks, others with a few extra meals.

Discipline is vital when you are injured. You are not training at full speed so your body is not burning the fat the way it normally does, and some players can put on 5 kilos after only a few weeks out.

The team play well on the weekend and get a good result. The youngster who played your position does okay, but gets subbed with 20 minutes to go so you feel a bit better about that. You obviously don’t tell anyone how you really feel about him, and on Monday you go straight up to him in front of the whole squad and pat him on the back and in a loud voice say, “It’s okay, it’s not easy to fill my boots, but you did ok. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon!”

The whole squad laughs and pushes the kid around, and one or two give you a high five, and you feel part of the pack again. But you know the next three weeks are going to be the longest of your life and inside you are praying that he doesn’t do well or you might not get back into the team again. KO

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