Coaches I’ve workedwith: No one expectedwhat happened

From speaking glowingly about Sundowns to changing the tone to address a very sad moment for South African football with the tragic and untimely passing away of former Pirates captain, Papi Khomane. This is, unfortunately, something we have no control over and we don’t even know when it will hit. A car accident robbed us ofone of the best defenders to ever come out ofthis country and it breaks my heart to know that a gentle giant is no more, it is even worse that he lost his life together with his mother. I can only imagine what his family, especially his father – legendary Yster Khomane, who has been hit by a double blow – is going through. What a wonderful young man, who fulfilled his football career with so much love and loyalty. He was so dedicated and passionate. You can’t talk about great South African players and not mention Pap’s name. This is a guy I always admired from a distance until I got to know him and spend some time with him, as I have always been closer to

Tebogo Moloi at Pirates. I always knew Papi’s humble and legendary father, who always cracked jokes and advised us on life. Both him and his son were defenders, although the legend was a right back, while his son was a centre-back. One thing they had in common was that they were no-nonsense defenders who were so soft-spoken and neat. It was good to know both the father and his son and to witness the beautiful relationship they had together. Whenever they donned that Pirates jersey, they left everything on the field and made life difficult for the opposition. Papi was not a dirty player but someone to marvel at whenever he was on the field of play. His contribution to our football is so immense and unbelievable. Not even once did I encounter him having an argument with an opponent or a referee. He was always humble and full of jokes, just like his father, but very firm. Believe it or not, there are things we don’t like in football and life in general. Papi was no exception. After his retirement, he was not involved in the game for a long time and it is not my place to reveal why. Surely there was something he was not happy about, but he opted for the right way to handle it by distancing himself from what he was no longer enjoying. Instead of being caught up in a negative space, he walked away quietly without doing or saying things he shouldn’t. He grew in his belief and knocked at the door where the Holy Spirit opened and welcomed him. He was a devoted church member and believed in God. The same dedication and discipline we saw in his football career and life in general was seen in his worshipping. I’m told he was one of the big people in his church and this is not something you hear a lot about when it comes to footballers or former footballers. There are so many good believers out there – the likes of Williams Okpara, for example – but they go about their business quietly. I remember Bra Vusi “Computer” Lamola would always give me a call and advise me to pray before every game and that man continues to be an important church member to this day. When I saw Papi undergoing the same route, I admired him because he had made a decision about his life and offered his life to serving the Almighty God. Papi’s departure touched so many hearts because he was such a reserved, polite and gracious human being who knew exactly what he wanted in his life. You think of him and you can just see a broad smile on his face. This is someone you will never see angry because he was so humble. A wellspoken young man who still had his life ahead of himself. He was exemplary to everyone because he showed that not everything is about money and that when faith calls, it calls. A lot of people must have written him off, thinking him going to church was the end ofhim, but that was not the case at all. He moved away from anything to do with football and enjoyed his quiet and reserved lifestyle, without any limelight. This is someone who needs to be celebrated for doing so much for football at both club and national team levels. He was living his life not based on football and he knew what he wanted in his life. The lesson is that your life doesn’t have to end just because your career has come to an end. Anything is possible and if you stand for what you believe in, then you have nothing to worry about. At the end of the day, life is about self-fulfilment and not what people think or say about you. It is so unfortunate that Papi had to depart this earth the way he did, together with his mother. The one woman who literally brought this young man to earth has left together with him, under tragic circumstances. It is a really sad story, but I want to send my heartfelt condolences to his family, his church family, Pirates and the football fraternity at large because this is a huge loss. May Papi and his mother’s souls rest in peace. No one expected or would have predicted what happened and they will be remembered and missed dearly.