Mtshali recalls his first day at Bucs

It felt surreal for 18-year-old Lindokuhle Mtshali (right) when the flight from Durban to Johannesburg took off from the King Shaka International Airport on a frosty winter day in June last year.

It was Mtshali’s first time on a plane, but that was not what made the moment feel like a dream. It was that he was on his way to sign his first professional contract with one of the country’s biggest teams – Orlando Pirates.

“I was excited and nervous at the same time. I felt like screaming to everyone on that flight that this was me on my way to fulfilling a childhood dream,” he said.

During the flight, Mtshali thought of the time he had to quit Golden Arrows’ development team because of financial constraints. He had to take two taxis from Mount Moria outside Durban to Arrows’ training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College fields.

“I would take a taxi soon after school and come home late in the evening. It was costly and my mother was feeling the financial burden although she fully supported my dream,” he said.

Fast forward to the next day. Mtshali had signed and was driven to the Buccaneers’ training venue at the Rand Stadium.

“I was really excited and I saw that my dream was coming true … all the hard work was finally getting rewarded. Getting to training and seeing the likes of Oupa (Manyisa) and (Mpho) Makola was like a dream,” he enthused.

After a few training sessions, then Pirates coach Muhsin Ertugral felt Mtshali needed to gain more experience and needed some game time at professional level and loaned him back to National First Division side Real Kings.

Mtshali welcomed the move. “I had just moved from the ABC Motsepe League to the PSL and I understood I needed to gain some more experience,” he said.

He had attracted the Buccaneers’ interest when he was crowned Player-ofthe Tournament during the ABC Motsepe League playoffs in Bloemfontein in May last year where he helped Kings win promotion to the NFD.

“When I got back I wanted to help Kings get into the promotion play-offs like we did in the ABC Motsepe League. We have not been able to do that but we are happy that at least we do not have to worry about relegation.”