Coaches I’ve worked with: I salute and thank you, very much

Monday, October 16th was a really big day for the founder member of Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, and that is Dr Kaizer Motaung, as he was celebrating his 79th birthday. I know I was supposed to have spoken about something else, but I would have failed myself if I didn’t pay respect and celebrate this man in my column this week. I have to pay a tribute and recognise the icon of South African football and Chiefs president. This is the man who is behind building football in our country, if not beyond our borders. If I were to tell you everything about the Chairman, it really gives me goosebumps because I shiver in my spine whenever I think of what he has done for me and South African football at large. I actually look at the fact that, as a three-year-old boy, playing under the table and fiddling around with his shoelaces while he was sitting in our dining room waiting for my dad. Remember, this is the man who always came to our house to fetch my father for either training or matches. I never knew this would be the same man who would later impact my life and career so much. I was only three then and kept untying his shoelaces, not thinking anything else as I found joy in doing so. This goes to show that I was privileged to play with the shoelaces of someone who would later turn out to be one of the most revered icons of our Beautiful Game. I didn’t really know the stature of this man back then, I didn’t really know who he was and what he was all about. At a later stage, I got to know and understand this man. My question is: Did the

Chairman know that this young man, fiddling with my shoelaces under the table, will one day become one of my players at Kaizer Chiefs? I doubt his answer would be a ‘Yes’ and I ask myself the very same question, with the same answer. Did I know the man whose shoelaces I was playing with was going to pave my way to become who and what I am today, to give me a platform to express my God-given talent? I had no idea, but the only thing I knew was that he always fetched my father for training or matches. This is a gentleman who was always neatly dressed. Fast-forward to my days when I used to accompany my dad to training in Phefeni, where they trained opposite the Chairman’s parents’ house. When the team was training, I was taken care of by his mother Ma Maponso and she would give me umdoko wama bele (sorghum porridge). Now, did the Chairman’s mother know that the little boy she was always looking after, with so much love, would one day become one of her son’s team’s shining stars? That she was raising a future football star? I’m sure she had no clue, as she was just playing a motherly role. I’ve never said this before! I feel it is only fair that I Iet you all into some of the behindthe-scenes stuff that happened in my upbringing and to show where I come from with this gentle giant, Kaizer Motaung. That’s why I always say this man means a lot to me and it is not just about him giving me my first professional contract in 1987. Our journey didn’t start when I turned professional – no, it started when I was still crawling. Here I am today, celebrating his birthday and thanking God for keeping him for us all these years. I also thank his parents for giving such a gentle giant to the world. I’m not the only one who received so much love from the Chairman and his family, everyone who has crossed paths with them will tell you a story or two about that family. Happy birthday, Chairman! May you see many more years. May you have a happiest life with great life and prosperity. I pray that the Almighty gives you strength to continue producing players like myself and take this Kaizer Chiefs brand to the next level. I salute and thank you very much for guiding my life and career because I wouldn’t be who I am today without your involvement in my life and career. Thank you, Chairman, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.