One-hit wonders

For some players, their dream of a career in the Premier Soccer League was all too fleeting, with their moment in the limelight extinguished before they could build a solid career. KICK OFF looks back at 10 players who had hoped to make it big in South Af

Players that made just a single appearance in the Absa Premiership

OLUKOLADE ABOBADE Club: Maritzburg United Season: 2011/12 Appearance: SuperSport United 7 Maritzburg United 0 (as a sub) Nigerian forward Abobade’s only appearance for Maritzburg United was certainly one to forget as he came off the bench at half-time in a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of SuperSport United. He was signed on a two-year contract from Juth FC in his homeland, and at the time was competing for a striking berth with Diyo Sibisi and current caretaker coach Fadlu Davids. His only appearance came a month after signing, but he could not command a regular spot and when coach Ian Palmer left in January 2012, he faded away. He was then involved in a car accident in Nigeria in the off-season and did not return for the second season of his contract. ANTONIO CORREIA Club: Ajax Cape Town Season: 2011/12 Appearance: Ajax Cape Town 2 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (as a sub) Angolan forward Correia’s only game for Ajax Cape Town came in a massive win for the club as they defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1, but that was as good as it got. The then 28-year-old came off the bench with 20 minutes to go in September 2011, having joined the side on the recommendation of former Ajax coach Foppe de Haan. De Haan had coached Correia in Holland at Heerenveen, but a combination of injuries and what at the time was described as “stress” meant his time at Ikamva was nowhere near as successful. It was simply a case of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and Ajax cut their losses at the end of the season. HARRY EDGE Club: University of Pretoria Season: 2015/16 Appearance: University of Pretoria 0 Bidvest Wits 1 The success of Michael Boxall and Jeremy Brockie at SuperSport United had suddenly made signing New Zealanders all the rage and so University of Pretoria found one of their own in youngster Harry Edge. The defensive midfielder had been developed in part through the youth system of Dutch club PEC Zwolle, and was spotted by AmaTuks’ chief scout Paul Mathews when the South Africans were on tour in the Netherlands. But Edge was substituted at half-time of his only appearance in the PSL, a loss to Bidvest Wits, and was not seen again as the side slipped to relegation. Edge has since gone on to play for top New Zealand side Auckland City.

THULISANI LATHA Club: Bloemfontein Celtic Season: 2009/10 Appearance: Bloemfontein Celtic 1 AmaZulu 1 Latha was the only player in the 2008/09 season to make just a single appearance for their club and then disappear. He was signed by Bloemfontein Celtic in the final hours of deadline day on September 1, 2009, adding to then coach Owen da Gama’s forward options. And a debut was not far off as he started the 1-1 draw with AmaZulu, but was taken off just past the hour-mark and not seen again as injuries took their toll. He was no youngster either, having turned out for Rangers FC in the lower leagues, and was already 26 when he made his PSL bow. Latha was among a number of players released at the end of the season. LUCKY MNGADI Club: Classic Season: 2000/01 Appearance: Classic 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 3 (as a sub) Mngadi was a promising player at Johannesburg side Classic, but was tragically murdered before he could fulfil his potential. The youngster made his PSL bow as a substitute in a 3-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in March 2001, which would be his one and only moment in the limelight. Details around his death were never fully explained but he is remembered as a budding young star who could have gone on to enjoy a successful top-flight career. “He used to remind me of Ace Ntsoelengoe with the way he walked and didn’t say much,” his coach Khabo Zondo, told KICK OFF. “It was so sad to lose a player who had such a bright future ahead of him.” PHAKAMANI MNGADI Club: Kaizer Chiefs Season: 2014/15 Appearance: Kaizer Chiefs 2 University of Pretoria 1 (as a sub) Mngadi is still a youngster at 22 and may yet return to play in the PSL, but is now among the reserves at former side Eupen in Belgium. The winger was signed on loan by Chiefs ahead of their victorious 2014/15 season, but can barely lay claim to having had a helping had as he played a total of just seven minutes in one substitute outing against University of Pretoria in September 2014. To be fair, he had an in-form Mandla Masango ahead of him in the pecking order that campaign, and as a youngster with next to no experience in the top-flight, failed to convince Stuart Baxter that he could fill in when Masango was absent. JOAKIM MOGOHLO Club: Orlando Pirates Season: 2000/01 Appearance: Orlando Pirates 1 Wits University 1 Mogohlo came through the ranks at Orlando Pirates, making his debut in a 1-1 draw against Wits University in September 2000. But that would be it for him in a competitive fixture in front of The Ghost. Mogohlo was involved in one notable friendly incident in December 1999 when he was part of the Pirates side that played in Botswana against local side Notwane. He was one of the “schoolboys” taken on the trip, a reference made by local fans who were upset Bucs did not bring their full compliment of players. With Pirates trailing 4-3, they were awarded a penalty to level the score. Mogohlo stepped up … and missed.

DANIEL MOLEBATSI Club: Orlando Pirates Season: 2005/06 Appearance: Orlando Pirates 0 Maritzburg Classic 0 (as a sub) Young striker Molebatsi thought he was getting an early Christmas present when he was handed his Orlando Pirates bow just before the festive season break in December 2005. He came on as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Maritzburg Classic, but that would be the last time The Ghost saw him in action in a competitive fixture. He later played a few friendly games, but never quite cut it in the South African top-flight. Molebatsi, known as ‘Oompie’, was signed after a successful trial six months earlier in which he netted a brace in a friendly against Northern Cape lower league side Matsatsantsa. WILKO RISSER Club: Chippa United Season: 2012/13 Appearance: Chippa United 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 Newly-promoted Chippa United brought in Namibia international Risser in September 2012 and there were high hopes he would be the one to solve their scoring problems. But within four months he was out the door having made just a single appearance for the side as their battles continued. Risser started in a 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in December 2012, a credible scoreline for the minnow team. But the player, who also has stints in the lower leagues in Germany and England, failed to impress and was axed before the end of his contract the next February. Chippa would be his last professional club as Risser retired from playing shortly after his departure. DAVID TELFER Club: Free State Stars Season: 2008/09 Appearance: Mamelodi Sundowns 1 Free State Stars 0 Telfer was a Ghana international who made a name for himself playing for AshantiGold in his homeland, and would even later have a career in Romania. But he did not cut it in the PSL, having joined Free State Stars on loan in a deal that also brought Jonathan Mensah to Ea Lla Koto. The pair were signed by Ghana coach David Duncan, who left just months after arriving, with Telfer playing the full game as Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Stars 1-0 in an MTN8 quarterfinal. A knee injury stunted his progress to a certain extent, but he was also not utilised by the Free State club and eventually left after one season.