Fairy tale complete for talented Pule
Despite all the obstacles he faced growing up, Bidvest Wits winger Vincent Pule has made something of himself by following his heart and passion for football. The Wits winger lost his mother when he was still young and never knew his father, something he says is one of the hardest things any child can go through. Luckily he had a supportive family where he grew up in Phutaditjaba in the Free State, which has helped him to be where he is today.
While kicking the ball in the streets with friends, Pule never really thought he could see himself playing in top-fl top-flight ight football. But as gifted as he was, everybody around him saw the left-footed player with silky skills and pace had a great future ahead of him.
Pule combined his studies with football at Maluti FET College, on the Lere la Tshepe campus in Qwa-Qwa. The winger enrolled for a one-year diploma in Sports Administration as a night student, while playing in his spare time.
His talent was quickly noticed by scouts from African Warriors who snapped him up to play in the National First Division (NFD). But, the winger didn’t stay there long as Wits quickly grabbed him as a 21-year old to join the senior team in 2014.
“It is pretty amazing how things turned out for me, it took me years to realise I could actually go far with football. When I was playing at school, the only thing on my mind was that I want to get my certificate and I played footballl football just to keep myself busy,” he said.
“When Warriors asked me to come and play for them I started to think muchm much more about taking my career to thee the next level. I played for only two seasons at Warriors. It was a lovely experience and loved the people I was working with. I enjoyed my football and gave everything in training or in matches. And then Wits came along, they wanted me and I signed for them to play in the senior team. Since then I have never looked back.”
It has been four years since Pule joined the Clever Boys, and his spell with the club had a lot of ups and downs, but for a player of his calibre, who believes in hard work and patience, the winger never for a second thought about leaving the club when he was not getting game time.
It is only this season that the Free State-born player has started to get more time on the field, playing on the left wing with his sweet left foot accompanied by his skills that leave defenders on their knees.
Pule describes his stay at the club as a fairy-tale, particularly with the fact that he is now a part of the club’s history as one of the players that won the league title last season for the first time in the club’s 96-year existence.
“I think every player goes through what I went through, you won’t just come into a team and expect to be in the starting line-up, it is very rare.
“Coach Gavin Hunt has played a huge role in developing me, and I will always be grateful to him. He pushes us really hard so we can produce good results. Last season was one of the best seasons ever, winning the league and the MTN8, it was like a dream. I am really glad to be part of this squad.”
Pule now has an opportunity to add another medal with Wits after the club booked their spot in the Telkom Knockout final following their 1- 0 win over Kaizer Chiefs at the Bidvest Stadium last Saturday. The Johannesburg outfit will take on Bloemfontein Celtic at KwaZulu-Natal’s Princess Magogo Stadium on December 2.