Best yet to come from veteran Masina
THE FORMER FS STARS AND CT CITY MAN BELIEVES THE DUBE BIRDS WILL FLY HIGH AGAIN
Playing on the streets, sometimes with a makeshift ball, was just a hobby for Sibusiso Masina as he grew up in the dusty streets of Daveyton, where football is a religion. And like any other young boy growing up, playing football professionally was a dream.
But it was not until he joined Benoni Premier United’s development teams that he realised he could actually make good money out of the game.
“I have loved football from when I was young. I always played in the streets. What made me take football seriously was when I got into the Benoni Premier United development side and met those top players and realised that they were making a decent living out of the game. I felt there was life to what they were doing,” explained the 29-year-old.
Football may be a religion in Daveyton, but players from the region have been infamous for going wayward once they make it into the professional ranks with the likes of Junior Khanye and Thabiso Malatsi having brought the township’s name into disrepute.
Masina says their bad reputation didn’t affect him and it might have helped the next generation to do better.
“I don’t have a problem with where anyone comes from. What I believe in is that a person must be judged by what he does not on what others have done. We can’t be ostracised for other people’s misdemeanours.
“But what they did was put our kasi in bad light and people are sceptical of us. We have to be strong and make sure we do well and change that bad image,” he said.
Now in the GladAfrica Championship with Swallows FC, Masina started his professional career at Roses United in 2013 and has seen some action in the top flight with stints at Free State Stars and Cape Town City. He believes everything has its time. “I believe that God has plans for his people. So, I can’t really say it was challenges that kept me back and delayed me from getting to the Premiership at a younger age. I believe it is all His plan, He knew when I would make it. He knows where He wants me and He will get me there in His own time.”
At 29, Masina is not worried about the stigma attached to players over 30 and says he still has a few items on his bucket list before he can contemplate retirement.
“That perception is not something that a footballer should worry about because as long as you do your job on the field, you are fine. There are the likes of “Yeye”(Reneilwe Letsholonyane) who are still going strong at 37 and (Siyabonga) Nomvethe who played until after 40. We also have Vuyo (Mere) here and he is still good and competitive.
“You have to block out the negative stuff about age and all that and focus on your football. I still want to win the Absa Premiership before I retire. I want to have that medal in my collection,” said the former Free State Stars man.
“What’s important now is for supporters to believe in us and we can get it right. If we were to bring the team back to the Premiership, we would have written ourselves into the history books.”