Actor to return to his first love

Macheru aiming to become soccer coach

TEN years after having his football dream dashed by injury‚ Skeem Saam actor Eric Macheru has revealed that he plans to return to the pitch‚ this time as a coach. The actor‚ who plays the role of Leeto on the popular SABC1 soapie‚ won a national football talent search in 2005 and was given the opportunity to train overseas with Tottenham Hotspur.

He later joined Ajax Cape Town but had to cut his career short after an injury.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE recently‚ Eric said he was content with his acting career on Skeem Saam but admitted that he sometimes longed for his days as a footballer.

“Honestly‚ football is my first love. I play it in my spare time.

“I can’t get enough of it and really think I could have gone far in it‚” he said.

Eric added he would like to “someday own a football team” but for now was focusing on getting his coaching qualifications.

“I am going to go back to football. I want to do some coaching courses and if not coaching‚ then some analysis‚” he said.

But what about a storyline that sees Leeto become a famous football star?

“That would be great but you’d need to speak to the big bosses for that‚” he laughed.