Joseph happy to sit Tight at Chiefs
SENSATION: HE’S A PIVOTAL PLAYER FOR STEVE Molangoane picked as Playerof-the-Month.
Many may think Kaizer Chiefs’ sensational midfielder Joseph Molangoane got his nickname “Tight” because of his diminutive frame, which allows him to easily slice past defenders and create scoring chances for his team-mates. But the Moletjie-born player actually got his nickname for a very different reason.
He had attended a coaching clinic conducted by former Bafana Bafana captain and current Safa technical director Neil Tovey and was the only one wearing tights underneath his shorts.
Because there were too many players there, Tovey and his crew could not remember every player’s names and ended up calling them by what they wore, and Molangoane became “Tight”, a name that has stuck.
Molangoane’s influence at Chiefs has grown in recent times, and he deservedly picked up Phakaaathi’s Player-of-the-Month award for March after a series of impressive displays have helped Chiefs’ challenge for silverware. Coach Steve Komphela will now hope Molangoane continues his impressive run in April, a month they have dubbed as a decider for their title ambitions.
The 28-year-old started his professional football career at Platinum Stars, where he was ironically handed his debut by Komphela. He has also played for AmaZulu, Orlando Pirates and Chippa United before landing what he described as his dream move.
“For me, playing for Chiefs has been a dream come true,” he said. “I have supported the team from a young age – you can ask anybody at home and everyone else, they know I supported Chiefs – so for me it’s not only playing for Chiefs but representing them at the highest level.”
His move was not easy as he had to stay in limbo for about six months while Chiefs and Chippa United were embroiled in a fight over who had a valid contract with him. The matter was finally resolved as the Premier Soccer League’s Dispute Resolution Chamber ruled he belonged to Chiefs.
Molangoane made his debut for the Glamour Boys in December and has since become a pivotal player in Komphela’s team.