INTRODUCING

FROM First Division difficulties to a PSL regular – that is what Chippa United defender Diamond Thopola has done since arriving from Thanda Royal Zulu at the beginnin beginning of the season. He has been a starter at Chippa as a centre-and rightback t this campaign, missing jus just a single match due to s suspension. “Fitting in hasn’t been difficult because I am playing for coaches that have shown they believe in me, plus I come from a more difficult place – the First Division is tougher and less tactical with less space to play as compared to the PSL,” Thopola says. The 25-year-old spent four years at Thanda trying – without success – to win promotion in an environment notorious for meagre remuneration. So he is fully aware of what it means to ‘grab his chance’ in the PSL. “The PSL is what I have always wanted and now that it has happened I cannot go back to the First Division. I honestly thought I would be a back-up because Chippa already had good defenders, but I have had my chance and I’m not letting go of it. I just want to improve, and want to be known as a player who pushed the club towards finishing in a respectable position – a top 8 will do,” he says. Originally from Polokwane, Thopola moved to Johannesburg as a teenager to attend high school, and turned out for Berea Albion in the lower divisions after completing matric, before moving to Thanda in 2011. He applied to the police service, but luckily his destiny was in football. “My mom wanted me to continue with my education after my attempt to join SAPS flopped, but I begged her for one more year of patience. “Then at Berea coach Steve Haupt was involved in a coaching course at AmaTuks and they needed players to do demonstrations for the drills. Luckily Neil Tovey, who was coaching Thanda at the time, was there. He spotted me and recruited me as he needed Under-23 players for the newlyintroduced First Division rule,” he continues. The arrival of Roger Sikhakhane at Thanda at the