It wasn’t by fluke
Delmain Faver: Ndabayithethwa, thanks for speaking to us. Congratulations are in order as you have just been announced as the ambassador for Diadora. Safe to say it was a big surprise. How did it come about that you partnered with such an historical brand?
Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo: Firstly, it started with the relationship I have with Brighton (Mhlongo) and Oupa (Manyisa) because myself and those guys come a long way. Somewhere along the line, he (Mhlongo) hinted something to me about something that was coming and that I should always continue with the good work that I’ve been doing and one day I’m going to be rewarded for that. So, I think this announcement that was made was part of that. It came about that he also told me that they are working with Diadora and that they would like to have me as one of their ambassadors, and I was keen on it. So, that’s how it came about.
DF: With this partthe nership, you are only active player in South Africa being sponsored by the brand, so essentially, you are opening the door and forging a path that no one else has done. Does that put a bit of pressure on your shoulders, or do you see it as an opportunity for you to make your own mark with a different brand that maybe is not as familiar in our local market as it was in yesteryear?
NN: Obviously, presit sure-wise, pressure is always there in everything that you do. So, I wouldn’t say that comes with pressure, but it’s also an opportunity for the other guys that are also in the industry to also be recognised by this amazing sponsor, which is Diadora. So, it is an initiative that opens doors for the other guys. It is great work. I think it will help a lot of guys that are going to be recognised and brought to the Diadora family as well, so I think it’s important.
DF: It speaks to your growth really after being signed by Orlando Pirates from Marumo Gallants. Now obviously with that big move comes the lifestyle part of it where brands want to associate themselves with the Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo brand. Just tell us a bit more about that growth bebeen cause obviously it’s a long road. When you were at Gallants, you spoke about how you almost quit, but then you continued...
NN: I think the good work that you do on the field of play speaks volumes for one, whereby it takes you a long way in a sense that it opens doors for you. Even though it takes time, with us we have to be patient in a sense where you need to keep believing, keep working, keep doing everything that you do because the good work that you do will always follow you. So, I think the hard work that putting in has opened me to
to
Diadora and also, opening opportunities for the other guys. So, I think it’s a great initiative for me and also an inspiration to the other guys.
DF: You mention being an inspiration to other guys. Well, so much is being said about your time in the amateur ranks where you really had to toil to get your name out there,
Two years ago, the Siya crew sat down with Phillip Ndlondlo at the renaming ceremony of Marumo Gallants, and at the time, the youngster was making a name for himself in the professional ranks. Two years later, so much has changed for the pint-sized midfielder. Not only has he since scored himself a move to Orlando Pirates, where he has already won three trophies, but he also recently landed a sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Diadora. The Thokoza-born star has taken the road less traveled with this venture as he stands as the only active player to represent the brand. Soccer Laduma’s Delmain Faver was in attendance as he was announced as the ambassador, and caught up with the midfielder as he discusses how the deal came about, what it means to him, while revisiting a dark place that nearly saw him wave goodbye to the Beautiful Game. even when at times it seemed impossible. Talk to us about the mental fortitude required to not only make it but also to succeed in professional football the way that you have... NN: What I can say is that it takes so much for one to be where you are and you have this dream of becoming a well-established footballer. It comes with demands and a lot of sacrifices that you as a human being, as professional footballer and as an ambecause ateur have to make that’s how it starts. But the most important thing is paworking tience, giving more, hard and also being a player that is coachable, that is disciplined … and discipline is the most important par t … and also the never-say-die attitude that you should have as a person. You go through a lot as a player to be able to achieve the dream that you want to achieve and you have a dream that you have always been dreaming about. So, it takes so much for one to reach that level.
DF: The biggest question one would have to ask is what was it that hurt you so badly in football that you even thought of qui tting at some point? NN: You know when you come across things in life that cut so deep whereby you end up not knowing what to do or maybe what to say or something… The only thing that comes to mind is you wanting to quit. But some people that want to destroy you will be the ones that will bring doubt to you and make you feel like you are not that quality player that you are. There are those peocreating ple that maybe are a path for their own players or what. So, I think that was the same thing that I was experiencing when I was growing up playing in the amateurs, you know. I’ll get that person that will say things that will hurt me, that will also be making me feel like… or not like I’m not that kinda player. But you find other people telling me that, “You are the best. You are the best in what you do.” So, you are surprised why that person is saying those kind of things, but you get someone that will motivate you to such an extent that you keep going and keep going no matter what they say. There’s going to be those kind of things
that come in life whereby they become a distraction for you or they come to destroy you, but you need to overcome those things because there are challenges in life that you need to overcome. So, I think that was it.
DF: Who is the one person or people who you turn to in such moments because for some, suffering from these kind of things could be seen as a weakness, particularly in professional football?
NN: My family! They play a huge role in me dealing with difficult times when I go through something. There’s also Brighton and Oupa. Sometimes you feel like eish, you need someone that you can talk to, that understands what you are going through, who has been in the same shoes that you are in. Those are the guys that helped me a lot to become better and to feel better.
TO IS GOING “NOTHING OVERNIGHT CHANGE PEOPLE OF SOME BECAUSE WHATEVER THAT THAT THINK PEOPLE SOME THEY THINK. I DO…” IN WHAT BELIEVE DO
DF: Do you think that when you get to a big club, there’s almost a bit of pressure to prove why you were signed in the first place? In the beginning of your Bucs career, the fans got on your back quite a bit because you were doing more than what you were used to and it almost comes across as being sloppy in possession, and that “he’s doing things that he didn’t previously do”. Do you think there’s that pressure to, kind of, show that you are at the Soweto giants for a reason?
NN: Just like I mentioned to you earlier, that pressure is always there in everything that you do. It’s about how you deal with that pressure as a human being and as a player. But with the support that you get from your teammates, from the technical team, from everyone around you, it helps you deal with the pressure that you get from outside the field of play and stuff like that so that you can do what you know best. It wasn’t by fluke whereby I got scouted by Orlando Pirates and brought into the team because of the good work that I’ve been doing and nothing is going to change overnight because of some people that think whatever that they think. Some people do believe in what I do, and I also believe in what I do. So, the support that I get from them, I appreciate it and they help me to become a better person and learn from that so that I can be able to become a betplayer. ter
DF: So when you do get to a big club like Pirates, there’s almost a constant spotlight on you, not only on the field but off of it. There’s all of the attention that you get as an individual. How do you deal with that? NN: What I can say is discipline is the one that defines all of it because you know in the industry that you are in, also the team that I’m playing for, everything that you do is being watched by millions of people. So, the way that you behave yourself, the way that you present yourself and the way that you behave when you are around people, even if it’s off the field, determines what kind of person you are. But it starts with you as a person before you become a player and stuff like that. So, I think discipline goes a long way and also professionalism, how you treat yourself as a person, takes you a long way whereby you’ll never be caught or found doing things that you are not supposed to do.
DF: Now that you’re at the Houghton-based outfit, you’ve won a trophy already this season, but there is the element of the league title that continues to evade the club with Mamelodi Sundowns hogging that space for the better part of the last decade. What is it that you aspire to achieve with the club and how do you go about doing it?
NN: My ambition is to win the league and reclaim the glory… also, winning and competing in continental football. We need to start by beating them and beating the rest of the teams in the league so that we can be able to be where we want to be, because we have shown in the past what kind of team we are as Orlando Pirates.
chequebook. That leaves us no choice but to go beyond our borders in search of a prolific marksman. Last but not least, congratulations to Bvuma for keeping his second clean sheet in as many games. He has been given a massive chance and it’s all up to him to grab it with both hands and make that number one jersey his own.
Marvin Matseke, via email
There is still a long way to go, but at least three points is what counts for Amakhosi. Thanks for showing faith in Bvuma after a long struggle. He should have long been given a chance, but due to pressure at Chiefs, he had to wait for an opportunity like the current situation to prove his worth. Saile has proved to be a match winner. He maybe can revive Chivaviro’s scoring abilities with the crosses he puts in. On a lighter note, I enjoy watching Chippa, they are playing very good football. Mpengesi, let Mammila do his duty. Don’t chase him away please. Lobato Joshua “Mr Cool” Mati, Dilopye village, Temba
When we discuss Chiefs in our Soccer Laduma readers’ WhatsApp group, we all agree that it’s high time Bvuma is given a chance and also that the use of three central midfielders is costing us big time. I’m glad Bvuma got two cleans sheets in his two starts and this will give the young man huge confidence. He also produced good saves in those games. Actually, Zwane is to be blamed for delaying Bvuma’s progress as he dropped him when Sundowns embarrassed us with four goals. It was that day when Ngezana and his fellow defenders were very generous and donated goals, but poor Bvuma was wrongly blamed. As long as he is in goals and we use only two central midfielders, we will collect points. Internationally, it was tears all over for Arsenal, Bayern and Barcelona. Congrats to Emery’s Villa for managing an unbelievable 15 home wins, while Frankfurt embarrassed the mighty Bayern 5-1.
Amos “Tiger” Tshukudu, Ga-Maria
Chies is a brand that needs to be respected for both personal and business reasons. But before any individual or entity becomes a brand, there are very skilled and professional partnerships making this a reality. Hence, if it was not for Khune’s brilliance between the poles, the club would not have won so many trophies that contributed to them being the brand that they are today. Professionalism must always be maintained, but come on, cut the gentleman some slack! Khune has done more good than bad, unlike this Petersen chap, who occasionally messes up in the poles, but nothing is happening to him. Khune makes one mistake in goal, then all of a sudden everyone calls for his head. You betrayed the gentleman – no wonder he’s acting out lately. From 13 years of age, being in the same organization doing what he knows best, it’s not easy to accept the looming reality of retirement. What is he going to be doing after retiring since this is the only thing he knows doing since 13? It is not easy to just up and leave the thing you love the most. Maybe it’s time for him to quit, yeah, but let him play if he still wants to because he is indeed still better than Petersen at his age. If you don’t want him as a keeper, then at least be fair to him and bring in a keeper that is better than him and stop favouring the on-andoff Petersen. Whatever you do as management, don’t forget what this gentleman has done for Kaizer Chiefs. He sacrificed his life to be at the club. If it wasn’t for his talent, you would not have signed him. It was the talent first before the fame. Don’t use people, then dump them in dustbins like you did with Thabo Mooki. Stop it, because what you do unto others has a way of coming back to bite you. Everyone can see the club is no longer what it used to be because you don’t appreciate your legends enough. Leon White, via email
Indeed it does not rain but pour at the Village. It does not matter how you win, what is important is maximum points. Chiefs are trying, but unfortunately the Chiefs we love and respect is no more. A classic example is how we grinded the result on Saturday against a more determined Rise and Shine side, who were unfortunate to lose the match. They outplayed and outsmarted us in all departments, but unfortunately Lady Luck was not on their side, so the best team lost at Peter Mokaba Stadium. My brotherly advice to Johnson, which Zwane failed to take, is to please make substitutions on time so that fresh legs can get time to gel with the rest of the team. On a sad note, it’s sad to see the downfall of our last active legend and former captain Khune, who has behaved well since he was a youngster, only to misbehave at his mature age, when he is a role model to millions of up-and-coming youngsters. My little brother Khune, you built your legacy at the Village, why destroy it now? Many talented players’ soccer careers were abruptly ended by alcohol and drugs. Please try to respect the Beautiful Game. We can’t blame the witches from Tshing in Ventersdorp for your reckless behaviour. Boitumelo Vanrooyen, Schweizer-Reneke
Quick One-Two’s
After the late Ted Dumitru left Sundowns, the team continued to do well, which prompted the master tactician to go public and say he laid the foundation at the team. Guess he was right, but wasn’t he paid a fortune to win games and trophies for the team? Now, lately, Pitso has been telling whoever is within earshot that he is the one who brought South American players to the champions-elect. Well, he did what he was supposed to do by the time he was supposed to do it. It’s not like he used his money to bring those players in. If memory serves, there was Acuna and Torrealba, to mention just two. Were they brought by Pitso? As much as you did wonders for Bafana Ba Style, they too did the world of good for your career. In fact, you are what you are today because of Sundowns. It’s at the club where Al Ahly saw your potential. Do you think Al Ahly or even Nigeria would have been vying for your signature if you were not given the opportunity to coach an ambitious team like Sundowns? Talking of coaches, I wish PSL sides can take notice of the underrated Malesela and give him another chance to showcase his God-given talent. The man is too good to be in the lower division. On a different note, having watched a few of Orbit College games, especially at Olympia Stadium, I must confess that Thabang Nhlapho is a gem. Mark my words, the boy will become a big star if he remains levelheaded. Tente “The Brains” Mokoka, Sepharane
Soweto giants Chiefs and Pirates won their games, which is wonderful because it means Sowetans are happy. Amakhosi must give Bvuma a chance after his two clean sheets in the two games he’s played. I think now he is well-prepared to do the job. On a different note, it was a bad weekend for Arsenal and Manchester United. Indeed, soccer is unpredictable. Nyambeni Samson Khuphani, Tshiawelo Ext 5
We mean business here. Pirates and Chiefs won their games last Saturday afternoon and evening. Arsenal lost to Villa, allowing Manchester City to recover. What I liked about the weekend is witnessing Soweto giants winning their encounters, which means no noise in the workplace, at bus stops, taxi ranks and in the streets of townships and rural areas. Hard luck to fans who are into betting, this was some weekend! Joshua Makaung Potsiso, Mamone Ga-Mmela
The performances of the referees in the DStv Premiership are not improving. We see scandal after scandal, and the excuse that referees are human and are prone to making mistakes doesn’t cut it. These errors are happening when certain teams are playing, especially the Big Three. Coaches give their all in preparing their teams and come match day, one man will decide the outcome of the game and the three points are gone. Next thing, the coach loses his job and the referee gets demoted to the lower ranks for three weeks. After three weeks, the referee comes back to the DStv Premiership, but the coach is sitting at home with nothing to provide for his family. What happened between Sundowns and AmaZulu FC was a shame. Usuthu are fighting relegation, but the assistant referee decided to take a point they worked hard for away from them and shoved them further down into relegation. There was no offside, AmaZulu scored a clear goal. This thing is really annoying. There’s no such thing like punishing the referee or the linesman because even though he’s demoted, he’s still getting his match salary. Then we call that punishment? Why can’t they be sent home and not get their match salaries because most of them are working fulltime jobs under government anyway? The referees are destroying our Beautiful Game week in, week out. It’s like now the referees are scared of Sundowns. Even if we can have VAR, these South African referees will turn a blind eye and decide against the outcome of the VAR because it’s like they