Phakaaathi.co.za Mthethwa has no regrets over Europe

In the last couple of years, the KwaZulu-Natal Academy has produced many youngsters who now ply their trade in Europe, while some players have been snatched up by local Absa Premiership and National First Division (NFD) teams.

The likes of Thabo Cele, Simo Mbhele, Sanele Nene and Romario Morris are some of the academy’s graduates who have started their careers in Portugal. To go and play in Europe is a big opportunity for any youngster and most would jump at the chance.

However, this was not the case with Amajita centreback Sandile Mthethwa, who opted to rather play for his favourite team Orlando Pirates, turning down an opportunity to play for Portugal’s CS Maritimo in 2015.

News that Mthethwa had been signed by the Portuguese team based in Madeira was all over the papers in May 2015, with the young defender having impressed their scouts during a tournament in Durban. But this was not actually the case as Mthethwa says that while the club did offer him a contract, he didn’t sign it after hearing Pirates were interested in his services. Mthethwa thought he should rather stay in the country to improve his game and wait for the right time to make a move overseas.

“Everything was ready and I was about to go and sign having made a verbal agreement with the team and my representatives. But the Pirates offer came along and I have always wanted to play for one of the big South African teams, so I chose to stay and play for Pirates,” the defender explained.

“I spoke with my family and the people close to me and we all agreed that staying in the country was best the option for me back then. So, I don’t regret anything and I know that I will make it one day.

“Another thing that made me decide was that I was still young and thought I still needed to grow as a player. I didn’t want to go there and just be part of the team, I wanted to make a name for myself. My chance to go to Europe will come soon.”

Being at Pirates, Mthethwa believes his game has improved and says it has shown when playing in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge as well as for the Under-20 national team. The Empangeni-born defender is part of Thabo Senong’s team in South Korea for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup, which starts this weekend.

He was also part of the team that competed at the Under-20 Caf Africa Cup of Nations in Zambia earlier this year.

For the Pirates player, being part of the national team has made him confident his career is on the right path.

“It is all coming right for me, I must say I am very proud of myself. But this is only the start, I still have a long way to go. To be part of the team that will represent the country at the World Cup is a big deal for me, not many players get an opportunity to play at this tournament,” he added.

“I enjoyed playing at the Africa Cup of Nations, it was a great experience. I was, however, disappointed that we could not come home with medals (Amajita came fourth). But we put up a great fight and we wanted to make the country proud of us. It is a good thing that we at least managed to qualify for the World Cup.

“The World Cup is a big stage, it is another chance for us to write our names in the history of South African football.”

With a promising career ahead of him, Mthethwa praises the KZN Academy.

“I think the KZN Academy is one of the best in the country. Since their inception in 2010, they have produced a lot of players who are now playing in Europe, the PSL and the National First Division. I am very proud to be one of their products, because I am what I am today because of them.”