Graham leads the way to promised land
HE does not hail from little known Kakamas or the Cape Flats, a familiar story told by footballers in the Mother City, but in many ways Travis Graham embodies the success currently being enjoyed by Ajax Cape Town.
At 22, Graham is the youngest club captain in the Premier Soccer League and will lead the Urban Warriors in the MTN8 final against Kaizer Chiefs in Port Elizabeth on September 19.
It’s his second successive cup final as skipper — highlighting his and the team’s consistency even after defeat, on penalties, to Mamelodi Sundowns in last season’s Nedbank Cup.
It was difficult to choose football as I wanted to be an accountant
Graham could be enjoying some kind of success in a different industry, but his appetite for the game trumped his alternative career path.
“I have been fortunate in that I went to Bergvliet High, a very good school, and got good grades. It was difficult to choose football because I wanted to pursue being a chartered accountant, and it wasn’t until I was playing in the lower leagues for Devonshire Rovers that I realised I could make a career out of it,” said the midfielder, born in Ottery, Cape Town. “One had to die. “I even tried to study parttime, but it didn’t work. So far this has been a success and maybe after football I can try something else again.”
Graham might have to park whatever “something else” is for now, seeing that Ajax are finally reaping the rewards of putting their faith in the club’s academy to produce first-team regulars that aren’t just making up the numbers, but competing.
The bosses have also managed to hold on to key players this season, with the exception of Keagan Dolly, who joined Sundowns in a deal that was concluded over a year ago.
“It’s been an honour to captain this team and I think making it to another final in quick succession is such a marvellous achievement,” said Graham, who also admitted that the emphasis from coach Roger de Sa has been to remain grounded.
There has clearly been a shift in mentality at Ikamva — finishing fifth in the previous league campaign and picking up from where they left off at the start of the new season — as the dust settles on a family feud that split the club down the middle nearly three years ago.
“It is obviously important to keep the squad together, and if you look at successful teams, it is often guys that have been playing with each other for a long time.
“I think Ajax have found the solution again and it is working. We have also played with each other in the academy for a long time and our bond is growing stronger, but you must remember that we still haven’t won any silverware yet,” Graham explained.
His biggest fear is seeing all of this come unstuck as the Ajax youngsters gain popularity with every PSL appearance.
“But I think coach Roger brings out the best in the youngsters,” Graham said.
“We obviously have a young team and guys can go off the rails pretty quickly, but the coach is bringing us all down to earth — making us realise it is not just about winning and the fame, but humility and hard work.
“I have ex-teammates that made it when they were young and now they are nowhere to be found.”
Making it to another final is such a marvellous achievement