Most difficult team I played against

Elias Pelembe was rejected by a Mamelodi Sundowns coach who allegedly described the twinkle-toed player as too skinny. But after they were alerted of the flying winger from Maputo, rivals SuperSport United’s chairman, Khulu Sibiya, instructed CEO Stan Matthews, who was on honeymoon in London, to locate the Maputo Express. On arrival, it took coach Gavin Hunt seven minutes to realise that he had a diamond in his hands. In that year, Domingues was to terrorise local defenders and assisted Matsatsantsa to three successive league championships. Now 39, and 17 years after a successful and glittering career in Mzansi, he tells Soccer Laduma’s Thomas Kwenaite in this interview that he enjoyed every minute of his time in the City of Gold. Pelembe also reveals why Hunt was his best coach as well as when he plans to hang up his boots.

Thomas Kwenaite: How many games have you played for UD Songo so far since you returned home?

Elias Pelembe: It has been very good being back home after spending 17 years playing and living in South Africa. I have played seven games so far, not to mention CAF Champions League matches. So far, we have won five, lost one and drawn one match (since my return) – not bad at all.

TK: So, why did you choose Songo on your return to Mozambique? EP: I think their project excited me, the way they spoke to about their visio what they wanted o They spoke to me with passion about their ambitions and the CAF Champions League. Also, I will be closer to home. But I can say it’s the project, their ambitions regarding the wish to go far in the Champions League and enhance their brand across Africa that convinced me. I’m coming here to help also.

TK: You played Green Mambas from Eswatini in the CAF Champions League first preliminary round. Now you’re set to host Petro de Luanda on Sunday. A crucial game. EP:

We know how Petro has been so strong during the past few years, but it’s always good to come up against big teams because then you also get stronger. It also tests your strength nd helps you get better. Now that we have defeated Mambas 2-1 on aggregate, we can now focus on the Angolans. We are positive that we can get a result and advance to the group stage. We must work harder because it is not going to be easy.

TK: Few people are aware that Mamelodi Sundowns rejected you, with the then coach allegedly claiming you were too skinny and that he had Joel “Fire” Masilela anyway. Were you aware of that?

EP: Yeah, I was made aware. Okay, I was to ld about those comments much later, but I’m used to people commenting about my physique. I know being skinny is something that I’ve been since I was younger. I played with people that were much older than me, but it gave me courage. It made me think I could fit anywhere despite being skinny. It never discouraged me because I know how to play football and this motivates me to be innovative and devise ways andmeansofbea ting bigger and taller opponents. I added speed and skill to my repertoire to become the player I am. Today, football is more physical than technical, but I survived.

TK: When you arrived at SuperSport United, we’re told Gavin Hunt stopped training after only 10 minutes and recommended management to sign you. How did you feel? EP: I felt good because it had been my dream to pursue my career in South Africa. When I came here, I was confident. I knew I needed to grab the opportunity with both hands. They had arranged a friendly game aga inst Platinum Stars and I made two assists within the first seven minutes, but I was struggling a little bit with fitness because the league in Mozambique was about to start. But I just got here and enjoyed it. The rest, as they say, is history.

TK: You went on to win the league two times with Matsatsantsa. That must have been the best times of your life in South Africa… EP: It was good in a way because before I left Mozambique, my team Desportivo de Maputo were champions and to become a champion for two successive years on my arrival in a new environment, it was rtainly the best moment in my life. These things do not happen every day and so when they do, it is cause for celebration.

TK: During that period, did you call on Tico-Tico Bucuane and Helder “Mano

Mano” Muianga for advice ceed in the

EP: They spoke to me regularly. I mean, players like Tico-Tico, Mano-Mano, Tomas Inguana, Antonio Trigo are legends in Mozambique and Tico, in parused ticular, to advise me regarding what to expect should I come to South Africa every time we met at national level. So, when I eventually arrived, I was prepared and I knew what I had to do. In any case, we watched a lot of DStv Premiership football on television back home and we knew all about Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and OrPirates. lando

and ask regarding how to sucPSL?

TK: Then after three years, Sundowns came calling, having rejected you earlier. What did they say to you?

EP: They approached me through third parties. I was supposed to travel to Durban for an MTN8 fixture with SuperSport, but my agent Tim Sukazi told me we must meet in Sandton and explained that we were to meet some Sundowns people. I arrived around 20h00 and I didn’t know that it took such a very long time to negotiate. These talks ended up around 04h00 the next day, but a deal had been concluded. The previous day, I was supposed to travel to Durban, but suddenly I had become a Sundowns player and was required to report for training at Chloorkop. I think the coach at the time was Hristo Stoichkov and they gave me a day off training as I hardly slept the night before.

TK: There was a Nedbank Cup game which Sundowns won 24-0 against Powerlines…

EP:

The coach at that time was former Dutch international Johan Neeskens. He came in the dressing room and told us that we must not slow down the tempo of the game now that we were leading by almost 10 goals against Powerlines FC. He said any player that slacked or engaged in showboating would be substituted and will not play in the next game. He stressed that if you have an opportunity to punish an opponent, you do it without disrespecting the game, and we continued with the same intensity in the second half.

TK: Well, on the flipside, you played against some really tough teams in Mzansi!

EP:

For me, the most difficult team that I played against has always been Kaizer Chiefs. In those days, they had too much quality, but it was their supporters that made you feel the pressure, even if you were playing at home. They would urge the team on even when their cause looked lost. They provide a wonderful atmosphere but make it extremely difficult, so you have to be mentally strong to drown out the noise that they make.

TK: Talk to us about playing with Teko Modise and Surprise Moriri.

EP:

It was such an honour to play in the same team with such exceptionally gifted players. I do not have to tell you about their quality. Teko was not called “The General” for nothing. He was way ahead of his time. Unfortunately, when I arrived, Moriri was nursing a long-term injury, but when he recovered… I’ve known and played against him while I was at SuperSport and I can assure you he was the most difficult man to play against. Now there I was, sharing the same jersey with him. It was a good experience and I learned quite a lot from them all at Sundowns. I thank God who put these people in my life for me to play with them.

“THESE TALKS AROUND ENDED 04H00 UP DAY, BUT THE NEXT A DEAL BEEN HAD CONCLUDED.”

TK: Who was your toughest opponent in your 17 years of PSL action?

EP:

When I arrived at SuperSport, Onismor Bhasera was, while at Chiefs, the most difficult opponent. He was very strong and tough. Then there was Innocent Mdledle – he was also tough. Lucas Thwala, who used to play at left back, he was not easy to shake off. I cannot say they prevented me from achieving my goals. I used to be too smart and always found a way. I grew up playing number 10 but was converted to a winger when I arrived in SA, so I used not just my pace but