The Marumo Gallants FC first team goalkeeper coach reveals how he had a hand in landing legendary striker Collins Mbesuma a contract at Kaizer Chiefs. "John Tlale is from my kasi, so he is the one who paved the way for us. And then Brian Baloyi came into the picture, and I started following him too.
I loved those two goalkeepers. "But overseas, it was this guy Oliver Kahn from Germany." "I was a big Kaizer Chiefs fan, but not the current Kaizer Chiefs team [laughs].
I'm talking about the likes of William Shongwe, Chacklas Shongwe, Ntsie Maphike, and Wellington Manyathi. Ja that was Iwisa Kaizer Chiefs." "Both my late grandparents were very supportive.
Especially, my grandmother, she is the one who gave me money to go to trials. I repaid her by buying her a house." "I got my break in the 1999/2000 season.
Remember I started playing international football before I even became a professional footballer. "My break came in the national U-23 squad in Argentina. That's when all these big teams in South Africa wanted to sign me.
" "Aubrey Mathibe, the goalkeeper coach at Chiefs. We've been friends since amateur football." "I love everything about football.
I am who I am today because of football. It has given me everything I have. And I don't have any regrets about football, hence I'm now a goalkeeper coach at Marumo Gallants.
" "My playing style was very simple, I used to tell people that the volley kick that Itumeleng Khune is known for was started by me and Rowen Fernandez. And Itu just polished it. I only dived when it was necessary.
" "Panasonic The World Of Soccer. That was long time ago, before the days of SoccerZone. I loved the feature called Celebration Of The Week.
Free State Stars and Bloemfontein Celtic players used to leave me in stitches." "Kaizer Chiefs. They are very professional in everything they do.
" "Collins Mbesuma [laughs]. I remember Chiefs signed him after the Under-23 Four Nations Tournament in Eldorado. In that game against the Zambian Under-23 side, Mbesuma was sending rockets to my direction.
.. I'm talking about long-range powerful shots.
Yes, that guy was a handful that day. I got him a job at Chiefs." "Nengomasha was playing for Zimbabwe and Chiefs also scouted him there.
" "There is no place like home. We can say whatever about South Africa, but to be honest, we are privileged to be here. It's a beautiful country that we must take care of.
In other countries, it's worse.".
