Myeni giving back to community
STAR JOINT OWNER OF FC PORTO
“JABU! … Jabu, release the ball, man!”
Not long after arriving at Lenasia Stadium on a hot Saturday afternoon, Sifiso Myeni was already barking instructions to players on the pitch.
Away from the glitz and glamour that often surrounds PSL football, Myeni lives a simple life as coowner and member of the technical team of SAB League outfit FC Porto.
Dressed in a comfortable top and jeans, Myeni does not act like a superstar around his team, nor does he use his experience of playing in the PSL to make it look like he is a “know it all”.
He’s one of the people, speaks like them in their
kasi lingo and just wants to see his players realising their dreams of playing in the top league for top clubs.
Porto is based in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg, and Myeni and his partner Dawood Karim are trying to run the club professionally.
“I am from Ennerdale and I could see that the standard of football in the area was not as high as it should be. There was no competitive football and the players did not get exposure.
“So we bought the status of a team in the SAB League in 2011. I am co-coach with a guy called Ma-Leven,” Myeni said.
“Three or four players have just left us. Just recently we gave Farouk Khan a player for his academy [Stars of Africa].
“Most of our players are under-21. We want to establish under-15 and under-17 teams so they can be feeder teams to the first team.”
Thanks to Myeni’s personal sponsors Umbro, Porto players get playing kit and training equipment. The team, however, still needs more sponsors and things look promising. “The guys from Sports Bet approached us. They are willing to assist us financially. We are waiting for feedback. “I buy most of the equipment but we also get things from my sponsors Umbro,” said Myeni. Karim describes Myeni as a “godsend” because not only does the Wits player use his own money, but he sometimes spends time with the players in camp to make sure everything is OK the night before a game.
“Most of the players live in Ennerdale and Sifiso knows them. He used to attend our games and just started loving the club.
“He wanted to give back to the community, so he came and joined. He helps a lot financially. He is a godsend and very down to earth,” said Karim.
“It costs us about R4 000 a month to run the team. A night before we play a game, we go to camp so we pay for accommodation and provide food for the players.
“We have awards at the end of the season and a Miss FC Porto pageant. So this is not a fly-by-night team.”
So if you are looking for Myeni on weekends when Wits are not playing, you will definitely find him with his Porto team.
“I am always here. This is where I spend my time. After my training sessions in the morning [at Wits], I go to the team.”