HELP PHEWA GET BACK INTO THE GAME

WAS very devastated when I read the story of former Banyana Banyana star forward Veronica Phewa in one of our sister newspapers, Isolezwe.

Phewa was one of the players who made Banyana prominent. She was a poacher of note. Phewa was a predator.

She used to score goals like nobody’s business.

Phewa is now working at one of the Chinese stores in Pinetown in Durban.

I was touched when I read her story, about the fact that she is now struggling.

I’m appealing to the SA Football Association to come to Phewa’s rescue. She put the country on the map with her exploits during her prime.

Obviously the association is not at fault. The association is also not obliged to come to Phewa’s rescue, but if we are true to ourselves as a nation, something must be done to assist our queen.

With all due respect to these Chinese stores, Phewa can’t be working in such places with her talent in football.

She doesn’t deserve to work in a franchise environment.

Football needs Phewa. Her wealth of experience in football can’t be thrown away. We need such people to enhance the standard of our football.

But that doesn’t mean that our icons should just sit and expect things to come easy. They should also work diligently to develop themselves. It is very important for them to enhance themselves academically.

Their knowledge of football should be combined with academics.

But I believe that Safa can help her return to what she loves. Her passion is in football. Women’s football needs icons like Phewa.

I admire the new trends of having a striker’s coach but I haven’t seen it in women’s football.

Why can’t we utilise people like Phewa? I was very sad when I read her story.

Worst of all, we know that women’s football doesn’t pay. It is not like Phewa was earning millions during her playing days.

We should invest in such individuals as a country. Investing means helping these people to acquire their academics.

The current crop of players will really love to work with Phewa. She is an inspiration to a lot of players. We don’t need her in a franchise environment.

We mustn’t wait for her to pass away and start to speak about how good she was as a player.

What did we do to utilise her knowledge?

Phewa represented the country with distinction globally. She was a household name during her playing days. Her presence makes the difference. We can’t see her suffer. We shouldn’t celebrate her demise.

That’s one of the things that is holding us back in the country. Phewa belongs to football and something must be done to revive her life.

So, Safa please help the queen. Phewa is our icon. Her knowledge is needed in women’s football. Let us bring her back to where she belongs.