Machaka pleads for retired stars to give something back

Former Mpumalanga Black Aces forward Jacob Machaka (left) says it is important for retired footballers who hail from rural parts of South Africa to establish football academies and camps to unearth raw talent in South Africa.

Machaka worked in the technical team of Bay United before the club became Polokwane City in 2012. Machaka says he hasn’t had an opportunity to coach yet, but has not ruled out the possibility of sitting in the hot seat of a side that campaigns in the National First Division or Absa Premiership.

“I know I can make a good coach, and some people around me and those I have worked with as well have told me this. I wanted to give up after I left Bay United, but people encouraged me to keep going so that some day it would happen. I will coach, an opportunity will come for me,” Machaka told Phakaaaathi.

The 45-year-old still plays football and is part of the Masters and Legends league – he spoke to Phakaaathi yesterday while he was at the Polokwane stadium where the Polokwane legends faced a team of former players from outside the Limpopo province in an exhibition match. Machaka is set to study towards a Uefa D licence this year having attended coaching clinics set up by Safa in Polokwane. Staying true to his statement about nurturing youth in rural areas, Machaka has also established a football academy.

“I wanted to study a Sport Management degree with Unisa but, I don’t have the resources I need to further my studies but I won’t give up on that dream as it will happen. I attended as many coaching clinics as I can, whenever there is a coaching course I attended. I have a development certificate from Safa. I would like to complete my D licence this year, I would like to coach, so I have to prepared myself to be ready when the opportunity comes.

“The name of my academy is Dukes Machaka Sport Development Academy, and it has been running for five years, I want to take them away from the streets. I want to work for my community of Botlokwa in Polokwane while I also wait for an opportunity to come my way.”

Machaka sees himself as someone who has a platform to change the way young people from rural areas view life and what they can achieve with the limited resources they have. Machaka says he doesn’t get up each morning to carry out the same task as he did the previous day as each day comes with its own challenges.

“Every day I do different things, I don’t have one thing I do for a living, I was working with McDonalds for the Safa Soccer Schools competitions, I go to events to motivate the youth and some clubs ask me to come and help with players and talk to them about playing football. So it is different from playing football and making money from it, I don’t motivate people for money but at times people help me out, and they thank me for the talks and motivation.”

Machaka plays football socially and says it has allowed him to continue travelling the country. His most recent trip was to Mozambique with a few players from Limpopo to play football. His wish is to see the Department of Sports and Recreation help organise tournaments for retired footballers.