Oupa Manyisa

Chippa United midfielder Manyisa had endured a torrid time of late but is hoping he has turned over a new leaf with the Chilli Boyz.

Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Oupa Manyisa has finally returned to football from a lengthy sabbatical after joining Chippa United on an initial short-term deal with a further option. The 32-year-old talks to KICK OFF’s Chad Kelly-Klate about his arduous journey from Chloorkop to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, and finally to the Chilli Boys.

“THE HEART AND THE LEGS WANTED TO BE THERE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INJURY I COULDN’T.”

KICK OFF: How did the move to Chippa United come about?

Oupa Manyisa: It’s been a while. I got a call from Chippa [Mpengesi] – he actually called my lawyer [Kabelo Mashego] and he told him about everything. I then had a call with Mr Mpengesi and he invited me to come this side and train with the guys, just to see if I’m still able to stand on both feet. I came and trained, and everything just went smoothly from there. I arrived this side on the Wednesday, trained Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and I think I signed on the following Monday. Everything went smooth.

What do you make of the setup of the club?

It’s a great setup, you can see the guys work hard and training and they want to be playing with this team in the Premiership next season. We know the team is not in a good position, but it’s clear that the guys are determined to leave whatever they have on the field to make sure that we’re still playing in the top-flight next season.

We know the history of Chippa, the negative reports on salaries not being paid and all that – did that play on your mind at all before you signed?

For me, I didn’t have any issue because at some point, somehow you need to have faith in everything that you do. So, the minute I said, ‘Ja, I can sign for Chippa’, I knew and heard everything about whatever they said before. But as a person, out of all the bad things you need to be positive because in life you need to give people a chance. I’m also getting a chance so why must I judge a person. Those things don’t matter; the only thing that I wanted to do was come and sign, play football and help the team, and the rest we’ll sort itself out.

How difficult was it not having a team and the whole legal battle with TTM?

It was difficult but it was refreshing for me. I knew what they were going to say and do, because I heard stories about them saying this and that, and I said, ‘Nah, it doesn’t concern me, they must go and tell that to the PSL’. They broke the trust and even if that guy Lawrence [Mulaudzi] calls me tomorrow, I don’t think I will ever [talk to him] ... Actually, I don’t think he even has my number. He was speaking to my manager Tshepo Mabona about the deal, and everything was done through him.

At what point did everything go sour?

I think it was during pre-season, when it was time to start paying people, he saw, ‘Nah, I killed myself here’. Maybe it was a big contract, but the same contract he didn’t want to pay was one that he gave to me. I didn’t even try to negotiate myself to say, ‘I want this’, I just said, ‘OK, fine, give it to me’. But he couldn’t honour it.

After being out since 2019, what was it like joining a new team with all the excitement to start playing again, only for it to turn sour?

Yoh, it was a difficult thing because all I could do was train by myself. You know that you can’t be going around playing loxion football and all that – what if you get injured. So, it was difficult, and I was just itching for football. When I got there, that nonsense happened and I said, ‘Oh well, let me carry on doing what I‘ve been doing with my life’. I started training alone again, until it happened that I got here to Chippa, where they’ve welcomed me and I started training, and everything’s going smoothly. I think most people thought I’m still injured because of what the ex

owner of TTM said, that I’m injured. But I arrived this side and got signed after three days, so how is it possible if I’m injured?

When did you start training on your own, and what was it like not knowing your future at Sundowns for some time before your contract ended?

I started training on my own since lockdown. I think I knew [they weren’t going to renew]. Some things you can see and tell. I’m old enough to see what’s coming upon me. I don’t know what led to their decision, but I respect their decision – it’s part of football.

Are you happy with how you were treated at Chloorkop?

I was treated very well there. Nothing was funny, nothing was bad. I really enjoyed my stay there. I was very happy with my time at Sundowns, I made new friends, colleagues and most of all new memories. From the ones I came with, to the new ones, I can only say I enjoyed myself. It was also a healthy relationship with the coaches, their doors were always open to discuss anything and talk about everything.

You were going strong in that first season you joined from Orlando Pirates, and even managed to win the league for the first time since 2012. What was that like?

It was something special. You know, as a football player, by the end of the season there must be something that you can look back on and say, ‘Ja, at least that team that gave me an opportunity to play, I brought a trophy’. That’s the most beautiful thing. It was also nice to share that bond with the players – they are all crazy! But when it’s time to work, they work. It’s the right sort of crazy though, like when you get home you laugh alone, and you miss them.

How did you feel when the team then went on to win the third league title in a row without you?

It was a combination of good and bad – bad, because the heart and the legs wanted to be there, but because of the injury I couldn’t. Good because they kept the momentum for three years and it’s something we were always told about at training, that, ‘Guys, we need to win the league – the league is the big fish’. They kept that momentum and never dropped the ball; they know that a very good start and collecting more points is a priority.

Was there anything different about your time winning titles at Pirates and then winning titles with Sundowns?

Not really, I think it was the same mentality in the dressing room – that of getting used to winning. When you start making winning a habit, even a draw is like a loss, so your appetite to win just keeps growing. That thing makes you work extra hard, even at training, because you want everything to be perfect in your game.

Any lessons that you’ve taken from coach Pitso Mosimane?

He taught me that every game is like a cup final, and every opportunity you must take it with both hands because you never know the person that’s coming behind you. Everything you do, make sure that you do it to the best of your ability. I’ll never say, ‘Ah, I’ll do it tomorrow or next weekend – no. In that moment, do it.

What do you make of Sundowns now, even though coach Pitso has left?

They are a good bunch of players, and they still carry that same mentality that he instilled in the squad. With coach Manqoba [Mngqithi] and Rhulani [Mokwena] still there, you see everything is still going and growing, and they are introducing it to the new guys. They are doing well because they take their opportunities, and they constantly focus on their style of play – they don’t try and copy anyone, they have their own style of play, they are unique. They don’t change their philosophy.

Are you saddened that, at 32, you missed a big chunk of the last two years which could have been part of your peak?

No, I’m not sad because it’s part of football. God gave me this talent and he never gave me a mandate of when I’ll be at my peak and when I will drop from my peak. So, I will keep playing football as long as God still says I must play it, because He is the one that gave me the talent. People will always talk whether you do good or bad, that’s the nature of human beings. We can’t be sad because people are saying this, or people are saying that.

If you go back to when you left Pirates in 2017, did you envision yourself still going to Europe perhaps?

Ja, it was the mentality at that time. But you can’t dwell on time lost, because anything is still possible. As long as you can still kick and run and think – the most important thing is to think with a football brain. If Shabba [Siphiwe Tshabalala] can move overseas at 34, why not? It’s a motivation in itself that I can still do it. The dream is not dead.

“WHEN YOU START MAKING WINNING A HABIT, EVEN A DRAW IS LIKE A LOSS.”

On that international note, do you see any way back to Bafana Bafana for yourself?

Eish, only God knows. The most important thing now is to uplift myself and start playing regularly before I can think about anything else. I told you, that God gave me this talent and He’s the one who will tell me, ‘Whoa!’ The end time will come at any time, it could be tomorrow or next week, next month or next year; but it will come.

Do you still get questions over why you left Pirates?

I do, a lot. It shows that there was something really good and special you have done in this country. Young kids would tell me, ‘Man, please go back and play football, it’s boring without you’. You see, I can’t retire now because kids want to see me, and it means there’s something I’m doing that other people can’t do. But you must know that we are not the same as players, everyone has his own style, and the important thing is to combine everything in a team to try and build a solid structure.

How would you then reflect on your career thus far, including your time with Pirates?

I’ve had a great one, with no complaints, no regrets. Football has ups and downs, and injuries will always be there because it’s a contact sport.

Having now signed with Chippa until the end of the 2020/21 season, is there any pressure to try and have your contract extended?

No, there’s no pressure. The approach is just to try and help the guys and take one game at a time. When given a chance, I need to take it with both hands, I can’t be complaining. There’s no time for complaining, it’s about winning now. It’s time to work and make sure that the team gets maximum points to survive.

How much of a blow was the departure of coach Dan ‘Dance’ Malesela?

I can’t say much because I only trained with him those few days, and I was only just starting to understand him. But it’s part of football. As players, all I can say is that don’t interfere with office stuff and that, focus on your football and what you do inside the field. Whatever is happening outside the field, don’t worry, just do your job inside the field.

What do would you like to still achieve with the Chilli Boys?

More than anything, the one thing I want to achieve is to see us as Chippa United – The Chilli Boys getting positive results in the remaining games and playing topflight football next season. That’s what I would like to see happening, and I know that it will happen. The goal now is to help the guys be a united family so that we can get maximum points in the remaining games and survive relegation, the rest of the missions will keep coming.

Is that “family” environment pertinent to the club surviving relegation?

Ja, we have to be one big family because if we all pull in the same direction, we will achieve the target. Because I think it all starts in the mind, and if we can put our minds to it then we will achieve it.

I know you don’t want to plan the future, but do you have any hopes of one day going back to retire at Pirates?

The door will always be open. One day the door will open somewhere, somehow. But I have a mission to complete now first.

“I CAN’T RETIRE NOW BECAUSE KIDS WANT TO SEE ME.”