The Statesman and the fresh crop
We chat to Reneilwe Letsholonyane, and profile the type of players that Pirates and Chiefs need to sign
For eight years Reneilwe Letsholonyane has been a reliable statesman for the country’s biggest club, Kaizer Chiefs. No longer, as the Bafana Bafana midfielder makes a career-changing move to SuperSport United. Lovemore Moyo sits face-toface with ‘Yeye’.
KICK OFF: ‘Yeye’, you spent so long at Kaizer Chiefs where you won every trophy available in domestic football. How do you feel about your change of club?
RENEILWE LETSHOLONYANE: In life we always fear the unknown the most, which is why we tend to get comfortable in one place. But when it came to me deciding to move I knew it was the right time. I had been at Chiefs for eight years … I sat thinking that I have won every trophy locally, and Chiefs is home for me. And then I felt it is about time to leave my parents’ home to go and stay alone where I will be in a new environment. It was emotionally draining to make the decision to leave Chiefs, but it was time … I need to grow in a different space. I know that at times we footballers talk about not learning after a certain age, but I know that I want to learn more, and I am still going to learn [at SuperSport United].
Did the club influence your decision?
I wasn’t pushed. It was a personal decision – part of my dream was to experience life in other leagues on the continent, but that became virtually impossible at this stage of my career because I don’t want to spend more than two seasons out of South Africa at this age. So, as it didn’t make sense for me to go to another country, SuperSport presented me with the opportunity for something different.
Was the length of the contract you were offered at Chiefs the reason you left?
Kaizer Chiefs offered me a two-year deal; a good and rare deal for someone aged 34. Since Chiefs was already home and I was part of the family I think that was the reason they offered me that kind of contract. At some point I had wanted to sign the new contract, but then injury problems got in the way and that started to change the way I was thinking. After the injury I was getting signs almost every day that this was the time to move on – I am the kind of person who prays over all that I meet: challenges, what I want and what I get. On a daily basis I could see and hear things that confirmed that the time was right to move, even though I still had to convince myself. But eventually I took the decision that I cannot be afraid. There was absolutely nothing dramatic about why I chose to leave Chiefs. It was just about wanting to experience a different environment.
It was emotionally draining to make the decision to leave Chiefs, but it was time … I need to grow in a different space.
What are you hoping to achieve with SuperSport?
To contribute to the team’s success – trying to win trophies. If my contribution helps grow the team then I will be happy.
You will be working with a familiar coach in Stuart Baxter. Did he play any role in your decision to join SuperSport?
As a coach and as a person that I have worked with before, he played a role. However, I didn’t speak to him about joining SuperSport. He played a role indirectly in convincing me that this was time to move because I know how he does things. It is going to be easier for me to go there because I know his expectations and he knows my capabilities.
How did it feel to end your last year at Chiefs without winning any silverware?
It was draining because Kaizer Chiefs is a huge brand with a huge following. If you don’t win anything you don’t make the supporters happy. And if our supporters are not happy then there is absolutely no reason why we should be happy. Our primary job is to make the fans happy because they spend their last money to come to the stadium to support us.
What went wrong?
Inconsistency was the biggest factor, plus we played way too many draws in matches that we should have won. I think there was four or five of them … if we had taken three points from all those then we would be talking something different now.
You are one of only a handful who has come up through all four of the top tiers of South African football. How has this influenced you as a player and a person?
It contributed to the way I approach life, because it helped me to be patient when things were not going my way and made me understand that growth is a process. I was also once a youngster who wanted to turn professional at an early age, but it didn’t happen which meant I had to wait. Playing through all those lower leagues in my bid to break through to the PSL was a life path in which I took so many lessons that I am now putting to good use.
So respecting your job, and understanding the value of building a career …
Respecting the job is self-explanatory; you don’t need to be reminded about what this means and it all starts with respecting yourself. When an accountant leaves home for the office, they know very well that they are going to a job that feeds their livelihood. As footballers we get paid to go to training every morning and play matches. The training ground is my office.
You’ve had a long career despite only breaking into the PSL aged 24 …
The leagues where I started off made me appreciate the little things in life, including the talent that God gave me. When I turned professional at 24, I knew I was not a youngster anymore. I never knew how long I would last in the PSL, but I knew what I wanted to achieve from the moment I started my first match in the PSL, and I never let anything distract me. I think some players have shorter careers because they lose focus by forgetting the reason they wanted to become professional footballers in the first place. When they get there they stop dreaming and stop working hard.
Is it a case of too fast, too soon?
I always say education is important as it informs the choices you make. Even getting to Matric is very important because you are able to have better control of your life since you have gained knowledge from school along with what you acquire on the streets. I think we are a society that wants to experience things first before we learn. We have had many cases of things happening to other footballers, but we still believe that it will not happen to us. We must be aware that football is a short career and understand that we are the fortunate ones – there are so many others out there chasing the same dream of wearing that jersey. You must always keep that in your mind – your behaviour, how you treat yourself and how you work should be aligned with representing other people in the right way.
What thoughts do you have on life after your playing days?
Firstly, we shouldn’t allow the age factor to decide where we want to go; how and when we want to retire. Yes, we will not play forever, but age shouldn’t be the only determining factor ... it should be something that you want to do of your own will, without being pushed. You should retire in peace and go on to contribute to
the game with an open heart, wanting to see whoever you help succeed. In my case I want to keep learning in whatever capacity, from growing my clothing business [88 Apparel Q] to still being involved in football. I am not certain what I will do in football after I hang up my boots, but I will remain involved.
Is your academy in Meadowlands still operational?
It is still up and running. The first team won the League and they are in contention for promotion to the SAB League. Our juniors are playing in the Safa development leagues.
With 54 international caps, do you harbour any thoughts of still playing for Bafana Bafana?
I will always be available for my country. I enjoy representing my country and I will still do it if I get called up. I am sure you are aware that we are living in a country that is obsessed with judging
players based on age. How do you feel about this?
I don’t allow other people to determine where I am going or what I am doing with my career. I know my age, and I am proud to be 34 and still playing. I refuse to be judged based on my age when people know that I am still capable of doing the job. This age thing will always be there and I will not change it. Strangely, in other countries like Italy, when a player is into his thirties they attach more value to him because they know he has experience, yet in South Africa we want to force players into retirement. I don’t understand how when you are still young they say you need experience, and when you have that experience at 30 they then say you are old and you must retire. That means players must play for just six years between the ages of 24-30 and then retire? It is a battle we will not win as footballers because there are people with their own opinions.