I felt like I was failing these people

“Like a phoenix from the ashes, they may defeat you, burn you, insult you, injure you, and abandon you. But they will not, shall not, and cannot destroy you. For you, like Rome, were built on ashes, and you, like a phoenix, know how to resurrect.” These were the words of poet and writer Nikita Gill and perhaps no passage could describe better the story of former Kaizer Chiefs dribbling wizard, George Lebese. After what seemed like the end of the road, following unpleasant spells at Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United, eventually sitting at home without a club,

Lebese has risen from the ashes and is seemingly on his way back to the top. In the second instalment of his interview with Soccer Laduma’s Sipho Kekana, “Milkshake” recaps the down moments of his career.

Sipho Kekana: Hi, George. To start off Part 2, let’s talk about your time at Mamelodi Sundowns. Your stay in Chloorkop never got to produce results. What happened there?

George Lebese: I needed a change, firstly. It was not about anything. I made the decision, because people tend to think I went for the money. No! I needed a change. I had been with (Kaizer) Chiefs for so long, and not because Chiefs was a bad place or anything. As a person, to grow, I felt I needed a change. And as you say, when you change and go to a place, two things are gonna happen – it’s gonna work or it won’t and, unfortunately, for me and all the people that were excited for me, it didn’t work. But then I sat down and I tried to leave because it was not working and I was losing time. I was 29, 30. So, I had to make a move. I was not gonna be on the bench or at home and play in my 33rd year and not play after that because I’m considered old. Nah!

SK: Did you crumble under pressure there, competing against bigname players?

GL: There is always pressure there. As you say, it’s a star-studded team. You are sitting with 10 quality attackers and you have to fight for a place and, on a day, how many can play? What? Let’s say four can play up front – two on the sides and two up front. Only four play of the 10. So, there were a lot of quality players, a lot of challenges. I was new to that. It didn’t work out. I didn’t crumble under pressure. Maybe I didn’t have the patience, but like I say, the patience would mean time and I didn’t have time, you know. But they are a quality side.

SK: Eventually being released by SuperSport United – that must have been the most frustrating thing ever.

GL: It was a loan and it had to come to an end at some point. I had hoped maybe it would go beyond that, but the state I was in, mentally, physically, I felt my contribution was not where it should have been. And obviously, I can’t blame SuperSport for making the call to let me go. I had had a good period at Chiefs and little bit of the bad when I left and then the bad continued and followed me to Sundowns. And then I go to SuperSport and it’s a like a new lease on life and the bad still follows me and things still don’t go as I had hoped. So, I think emotionally, vele (indeed), I was drained. As a child, I was supporting Sundowns and my family (were too). So, to get that opportunity to play there, it was fulfilling. It’s everyone’s dream at home and it didn’t work. And it hurt me to disappoint everyone at home and everyone that had supported me. So, it was bad. It drained me because I felt like I was failing these people.

SK: You must have started doubting yourself and perhaps questioning your own capabilities.

GL: No, I would never doubt myself or my capabilities, ever. It’s a period that I was in. It’s a challenge that I had to overcome. Maybe I could have overcome the challenge in a better way. But to doubt what I can offer… I can’t do that. I can’t become a bad player over one season or two bad years. Nah, I don’t think it works like that. It was a bad period, but I am not a bad player.

SK: It’s a good thing the bad that followed you everywhere can’t cross the ocean to the US.

GL: Ha, ha, ha, yeah, it’s a good thing I ran away.

SK: Any ambitions of coming back to play football locally?

GL: My main priority on the other side is to improve on my performance because I feel like I still have a lot to offer and I feel like even the doubters - those that feel like “nah, he’s done” - I still need to prove, firstly to myself, that I still have it in me. I don’t know. If it happens in a year or two, I don’t know what is gonna happen … I don’t like to look so far ahead. I am now focused on doing well with my current club over there and we have good bunch of players the team has signed. I am excited and I can’t wait to go back.

SK: Now to your performance in the US. GL: Honestly, it was a little bit difficult for me to adjust to the life in the State and having not played at home for so long. But through it all, I think I managed to cope. But in terms of performances, I would have loved to have contributed a little more. It was a good season, but going forward, that is what I would love to improve on – get more numbers, more game-time and contribute more. But I must thank the technical team that welcomed me there and made me feel at ease and made sure that I was ready for the challenge that I was about to face.

SK: And then that long-range shot goal that trended on social media.

GL: Yeah, that was part of what I was expected to do, you know, to give back to the team for having had so much faith in me and for having given me a chance after having not been involved in the game for such a long time. Basically, I am just looking forward to having more moments like that and obviously, working very hard on achieving the results, and personally, improving each and every time. You know, it doesn’t matter how old or how experienced you are, you can always improve and I am working to do that.

SK: Before we let you go, we know you are close with Itumeleng Khune, who is not having it easy this season. Any advice for him?

GL: It’s very funny because, with Itu, with what he is going through, he is the one giving me advices. That’s just who he is. He has a very strong mental character. I met with him the other day over a cup of coffee, just to catch up and I wanted to know how he was doing and the man is fine. He is taking it like … like it should be taken, I guess. In my heart, I feel like he is still my number one. It’s just that he is going through challenges. He is gonna overcome.

SK: And your namesake, George Maluleka? He’s made the same move you made.

GL: We spoke a day after he signed. I took up a phone and I called him and I told him, “It’s not the same. One thing you need to know is you are going to be fighting with different quality players.” I told him for every season there’s gonna be a player that is brought to the team that is equally as good. I told him he must know he’s going to live his life in a ring, to fight for a position with these people. It’s not the same. Mentally, physically, it’s very challenging, but it’s a good place where you just want to win everything.

SK: Milkshake, let’s leave it there, my brother. We wish you all the best.

GL: Ah, thanks, Siga! ❐