He calls us wild dogs

The only place where ‘success’ comes before ‘work’ is in the dictionary, so they say. For Sage Stephens, he has had to toil not only for his success, but for his emancipation as a goalkeeper. He couldn’t have chosen a better club to do this than at Stellenbosch FC, a young team filled with players possessed of a hunger to make their mark. And make their mark they certainly have done, with their Carling Knockout triumph of late last year a clear evidence. Considering that Stephens has been around in the game for the better part of the last decade, it is incredible that only the last three seasons of his career have been the most consistent in terms of game-time and performances. So, what has finally clicked for the resilient star? A number of factors have contributed to his success, it appears, and in this honest interview with Soccer Laduma’s Delmain Faver, the Johhanesburg-born man opens up…

Delmain Faver: Sage, you are back at training following a well-deserved break. During your time away, did you have a chance to reflect on the phenomenal 2023 that you enjoyed both on an individual and team level?

Sage Stephens: The funny thing is as a club, the coach (Steve Barker) came to us a few weeks ago and he told the squad what we achieved last year, the games won, and we counted the amount of points we accumulated, you know. It was the first time I sat back and thought about it… but not completely because obviously you know the season is still ongoing. But winning the Carling Knockout was phenomenal for me personally and for the club. It was a sign that all our hard work finally paid off!

DF: You played no small part in that victory – four games played, two clean sheets and only two goals conceded.

What are your thoughts on your personal contribution to the team winning its first trophy as a PSL club?

SS: Firstly, the strange thing is that coming up to the Carling Knockout, we had just lost the semifinal to (Orlando) Pirates in the MTN8. That was obviously a major blow considering how many occasions we couldn’t make the final (of a cup competition). We came together as a squad and the first thing I said after that loss… Funny enough, you can call a few people at the club, (and they will tell you) the first thing I said to the squad was football has got a funny way of rewarding you. And the things we were doing, we were doing well, we were playing well, you know. We weren’t getting the rub of the green and I said we would win that Carling Knockout. So, for me personally, when we started the tournament, it wasn’t so much about personal performance, all that I focused on was what I could do to help the team and I just did my bit and luckily enough it paid off. Yeah, I had a good Carling Knockout with the clean sheets, like you said. I’m glad that I got to do my part and help the team and then at the end of the day, you know, the quality shone through from start to finish and we got the job done. So, I’m just glad to know that I got to contribute where I could, though it would have been nice to be the hero in the penalty shootout because I lost the penalty shootout to Sekhukhune (United), but it wasn’t meant to be. It was Darrel’s (Matsheke) time to shine and he did that (converted the winning spot-kick). I’m happy for the team.

DF: More importantly, yours is a story of patience and perseverance. You’ve been around since the 2010/11 season at Moroka Swallows, but you’ve had to wait about 10 years to become a regular… SS: Definitely. I mean, that is one of the highest points in my career. As you said, coming from Swallows, you know, didn’t have much game-time as a youngster, and then playing in the NFD (National First Division, now known as Motsepe Foundation Championship) and then for certain things out of my control, I wasn’t rewarded with that continuity to keep my jersey. The only thing I could have focused on at the time was to remain consistent in what I was doing in my work, in the way I approached my job and that’s what I did, and that’s what I’ve done throughout my career here at Stellenbosch. For me personally, that semifinal win against Richards Bay FC was an emotional one because I knew that we were one step closer, especially with me having previously had to support the other goalkeeper, in Peter Leeuwenburg, who won the MTN8, and again Shu-Aib Walters. That was emotional because I achieved the next step in playing in the final and for me to play in the final and win it and to have my family there was just an unbelievable feeling. I mean, like I said earlier, football is made of moments. I’ve got one of those moments with the Carling Knockout.

The cherry on the cake was that I had my son there to witness the occasion and that he can remember it and hold the trophy. So, to answer your question, that was a big highlight and a big achievement for me.

DF: Apart from the 2017/18 campaign at Cape Town City where you played 27 games in all competitions, game-time was something you found difficult to come by. How important was that waiting process?

SS: Yeah, no, you know, I think those moments when you are back up … and a lot of the goalkeepers will tell

you this … that’s a tough posbecause ition only one gets chosen and when the day comes when you have to step onto the field, for whatever reason, you have to show that you are able to do the job because you don’t get a lot of games to play, to be consistent. I think one thing that I learned over the years as back-up to the other goalkeepers was that when my chance came, I was going to show that no matter what, I may not be the first choice, I’ll show that I can do the job and I did it. I mean, at City I played well and I think we finished sixth, if I’m not mistaken. That’s all I did. Like I said, I focused on what I think I could control and regardless of the mishap that I had in the Carling AllStars match, one thing I can say is my game has been very consistent from game to game. So, that’s one reason why, I think, and also credit to coach Pernell (McKop), he’s helped me tremendously, helped me to focus on the mental side of the game, not just the physical side. I think all of that has contributed to my performances here at Stellenbosch.

DF: You seem to be getting better with age as this season you’ve kept nine clean sheets cinip1a7tiognamofesS. aIgsethSitsepthheenesm? an

SS: Yes, yes. A lot of my game, yes, that has developed over the years. The understanding, the preparation. With all the playing here at Stellenbosch, you play with confidence and you do good things. Any goalkeeper would tell you that you just need the coach to believe in you and have full faith in you and when you have that, you just do things that you wouldn’t ordinarily do when you are back-up because you can’t. I’m lucky enough to be with coach Steve Barker who has believed in me throughout in the seasons that I’ve been here, and my game has improved a lot. Yes, we do mature with age. I think I’ve matured tremendously, but not just me. Credit to the team. When the team plays well, then my numbers are good, and vice versa. And when we are not doing well, then my numbers are not good. So, I’m lucky enough, you know. This season, we’ve been doing very well and my numbers are good, so I’m just glad about that and long may it continue.

DF: Stellies have a knack of taking players who weren’t playing regularly at their previous teams and giving them the belief, and voila, you then see a complete turnaround in their game. Iqraam Rayners wasn’t playing much at SuperSport United, yourself at City, Kgaogelo Sekgota at Kaizer Chiefs… to mention but three. The Winelands seems to be a safe landing place for those players to come and enjoy their football again, be out of the limelight from so-called bigger teams and get back to basics.

SS: Like I said, it’s special. I mean, Stellenbosch is not known… I don’t want to sound terrible, but there’s no big egos and things like that. Everyone at the team is just level. Everyone is hardworking. We just… how can I say? Coach Steve’s quote is that he calls us wild dogs. I think that we are underdogs, you know. We’ve really changed that narrative… we are underdogs no more. Just the way each player, coaches… there’s freedom here. We’ve all got the same goal, we all want the same thing and we treat each other with respect. You can see with the way the squad is with one another, it’s just love, brotherhood. And that’s the difference – you got freedom. Just as long as you do your work and you give us, coach Steve and the technical staff your best, that’s all he asks and then the team shines. Then you can see the performance of these players, there’s a weight lifted off their shoulder and they are free like a child in the park, doing what he loves, you know. There’s freedom and that’s what it’s about here at Stellenbosch. You just play with freedom.