SAM MAGALEFA
(PART 3)
Let’s dive straight into it, Sammy. In the last instalment, you mentioned that you started developing problems with Pitso Mosimane. What actually happened?
I was travelling from Soweto to Pretoria (for training) and he didn’t know that I had a problem… I loved to sleep, I loved my rest. Uyabona (You see) when we were working, I would have all the energy in the world, and then off the field I would sleep like a baby. Ronnie Zondi was driving for me since I didn’t have a car at the time, and because Pitso used to arrive early at training, he would pass us by in the parking lot and find me sleeping on the front passenger seat. Also, the situation forced me to be like that because I was not used to these players, I was only acquainted to Zondi, John Moeti and Gardner Seale. But these were proper adults, what is it that I was going to discuss with them in the morning before training? I didn’t see any use for me to be there when these amagrootman (senior guys) were having their conversations, so the most sensible thing for me to do was to sleep in the car. So, Pitso had a problem with it. He would say, “This guy, every time uma ngimdlula la emotweni, ulele. Akalali lo muntu (when I pass him by in the car, he’s fast asleep. He doesn’t sleep this guy), which means he goes to nightclubs.” Bra Lunga, even today I’ve never told Bra Pitso that I don’t do nightclubs.
Well, this is your opportunity to set the record straight. Coach Pitso reads Soccer Laduma, he will get your message.
From the time I started playing in the PSL until I retired, I don’t do nightclubs mina. Ukutshaya ngiyatshaya, maar ngitshayela endlini (Smoke yes I do, but I do it at home). People who know me, they will all tell you I don’t do nightclubs. I don’t feel relaxed in a crowded space, even today I’m struggling (with that). But Bra Pitso took it to another level ukuthi lento le iyadakwa le (this thing is drinking). He comes here to training under the influence. But it’s something that we never solved mina no (me and) Pitso, to say he doesn’t know that I don’t do clubs. Okay, I later bought a car, which he helped me to buy by the way. My driving was not good, especially when it came to long distances. I had a cousin, he’s dark, same height, but he has a slightly bigger head than mine. That guy, because the car stayed with him, he would come and fetch me for training. So, Pitso would probably see the car maybe at night and recognise it because, like I said, he helped me to get it. He even knew the number plate. The following day, I would be shocked when he asked me, “He monna, o rata bosiu, wazula (you like the nightlife, you are gallivanting).” My answer every time would be, “It’s not me! I don’t even drive myself to come here. I’m still learning to drive long distance.” Even then, there was no closure, so to speak, as I never brought my cousin to him to prove to him that, “Here is the person I’m talking about.” Whenever he spoke to me about it, it was like he had finalised it in his mind that, “I saw him, it’s Sammy.” But then the funny part is that I was travelling with Ronnie (Zondi), and I asked him one time, “Bra Ronnie, have I ever entered your car smelling of alcohol?” and he said, “No, not even once, but one thing you love, you love your sleep.” Then I said to him, “I have a problem, I wake up very early (in the morning), and mina when I work, I give you 100%. I don’t care whether I’m at training. But when I get tired, I sleep.”
Tell us more…
Another funny story… To show that I love my sleep, we were in Caledonia in camp with SuperSport (United). We had our pre-match meal and I went to sleep afterwards. The guys went to the game and never woke me up. I was fast asleep! The weather was cloudy that day. They called the room, I didn’t pick up, I was sleeping. They went to the game without me! So, in my mind I was like, “I messed up!” But the question is, “Was I drunk?” No, I was in camp the whole night. So, it was supposed to show that hey, inenkinga yokulala le ngwenya le (this guy has a sleeping problem). But it never worked. In the end, I couldn’t take the pressure of being called every day and being told, “Lala (Go sleep)” and having to say, “No, I’m at home.” He would say, “No, don’t come here tomorrow morning to sleep on the field.” So, I felt ukuthi (that) they were focusing more on outside things than my football. I then spoke to Tommy (the late Thomas Madigage) and I said, please move?” He said, “No, no, no, Sammy, how can you want to leave?” I said, “Bra Tommy, I don’t want to add numbers, ke batla go papala (I want to play) soccer. And you are not the head coach. I’m just sending the message via you as an adult and my senior.” In fact, I spoke to the late John Moeti first and he said to me, “You are a good player, but I don’t know why they don’t tell you why they are not playing you. But if I were you, I would take a loan to a smaller team and get my football back.” I said, “It’s a good idea because I came here as a Top Goalscorer, then I became a benchwarmer. It doesn’t make sense. I should have continued where I left off at Wits, but instead they are killing my confidence.”
It seems like you had genuine concerns.
Then I spoke to Tommy and Pitso, and then I asked Bra Stan Matthews, “Can we part ways in a good way?
Mina ngifun’ ukudlala (I just want to play) and the coach says I’m not ready. So, can I leave on loan or get my clearance?” They decided to give me my clearance because the reports were already in that this one is always asleep, he’s a drunkard, blah, blah, blah. Then I left, I joined uMjomana. Same problem iyavela futhi (reared its head again), the team had a lot of strikers. Tico-Tico (Bucuane), (Benjani) Mwaruwaru, (Nkosinathi) Nhleko, you name them. When I arrived there, there were already eight strikers. I sat on the bench for six months without touching the field, until Jomo (Sono) said something as a joke. He said, “You need to find another position,
mf’ethu (brother), the other strikers
ziyangisebenzela (are putting in the work for me).” I started playing on the right. My competition was Lucky Mhlathe and “Termy” (Dikgang Mabalane), but Termy they preferred to use him on the left, where he competed with Brian
Sebapole. I went to the right, and ah… I gave Mhlathe a run for his money. Remember even at training we used to kick each other at Cosmos, and I would go in hard on him. I think Jomo saw the confidence I had and must have said to himself, “Le ntwana iyafika nokufika maar ishayisa abantu ekudala be la (This young boy just got here but he’s kicking people who’ve been here for ages).” At least now I had an opportunity of getting into the starting line-up and playing, and things started changing. My football was changing because I was no longer playing as a striker now, I was playing as a right winger.
Right.
Before I knew it, Jomo being Jomo, he would just say to me, “Go to the middle and mark for us there.” I would go and do a good job, and he would then say, “Let me try him on the left” because I think our left wingers were unavailable at the time, and I went and played crosses using only my left foot. He was shocked! He was like, “Hey ndoda, ngith’ uzoyivala uyilethe ku (man, I thought you were going to cut in and bring it to the) right.” I said, “No, I’m playing on the left, I have to use left.” Then I started shuffling around positions in the middle, until we lost 5-0 to Kaizer Chiefs in the final of the Coca Cola Cup. I didn’t even play (in that game). The funny story is… The score was 5-0 and there were two minutes left. I was busy warming up for the better part of the game, and they would call up other players to come on. Whenever I tried to sit down, I would be told, “Hey ndoda, warm up lapho (there)!” I’m telling you, I warmed up until the game ended, ha, ha, ha.
Ha, ha, ha, at least despite the 5-0 drubbing, there was something to laugh about in the Ezenkosi camp after the game. See you next week. Ha, ha, ha,