Alexander: Polokwane move was best plan
FORTUNE, an old adage suggests, knocks once, but misfortune has a lot more patience. It keeps knocking… New Bafana Bafana recruit Cole Alexander was intimately attuned to misfortune’s constant tapping as he made his way in domestic football. Every time it looked as if he was about to achieve his objectives, he would be cruelly disappointed. But the best way to deal with the spectre of such adversity and frustration is not to buckle – but rather to use it as fuel for further hard work and commitment.
This is what Alexander did – and he has now been rewarded for his perseverance and never-give-in attitude. After a magnificent few months for new club Polokwane City, the 25-year-old from Mitchell’s Plain was rewarded with his first call-up to the SA national football squad, for friendly games against Swaziland on March 25 in Mbabane and Nigeria in Nelspruit on March 29.
But a few months back, in August last year, the current scenario seemed a long way off. Perhaps even impossible...
Having come through the Ajax Cape Town youth academy, and after loan spells at Vasco da Gama and Chippa United, Alexander was hoping that he would finally get a proper shot at making the starting team at the Cape PSL club.
But it was not to be. He could see the writing was on the wall, that he was surplus to requirements. So when then-Polokwane City coach Boebie Solomons asked him to head north and sign for the Limpopo Province club, he had to think long and hard about it.
A Capetonian, born and bred, he had never really spent much time out of the Mother City - but, determined to be a professional footballer, driven by the need that he could make it (despite what Ajax believed), Alexander took the plunge and signed for Polokwane.
Importantly, he never wavered. He never viewed his situation as a case of hard luck, he saw it as an opportunity to work harder. The rewards are there now for all to see. “After all I’ve been through, the ups and downs, it’s all so surreal,” said Alexander when reflecting on his national call-up. “It hasn’t sunk in just yet. I’m nervous and excited at the same time.
“I think coming to Polokwane was probably the best thing that happened to me. The change was instrumental in getting me to focus and think and work. Because I am all alone here, with no distractions, I am able to concentrate on just my football. All my time and effort are spent on football. It allows me to feed my mind, feed my game, and that drives me to work so much harder.” Despite never being appreciated at Ajax, Alexander holds no grudges against the Cape club. In fact, he recognises the role they had in his development.
“I remain grateful for everything Ajax did for me while I was there,” said Alexander. “I was in the academy, they promoted me to the PSL squad, and they were responsible for nurturing and developing me as a player.
“Through the highs and lows, I have to thank Ajax for what I have managed to achieve. In fact, the lows are probably more critical. Even though I had some really bad moments at Ajax, those were the times that made me a stronger person, and forced me to work harder.” Alexander is now looking forward to his time with Bafana.
“There are some really big players in the Bafana squad, players who have achieved in their careers,” he said. “I will be there with some of the overseas-based players too. For me, it is just an honour to be included among these players.
It shows that my football is being noticed, and that is enough for me.
“I’m going there to enjoy the experience and, if I get a chance, I will just go out there and do my best. “I don’t know all that much about Swaziland… but Nigeria have always been a good team. Also, Bafana knocked them out of the Africa Cup of Nations, so they’ll want to have a go at us.”