My Dream Team
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Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Sipho Ndzuzo selects his best-ever XI from past teammates.
Sipho Ndzuzo started his career as a striker at Bush Bucks before being converted to central midfielder. He went on to play for Manning Rangers, Mamelodi Sundowns, Ajax Cape Town and Benoni Premier United. He picks an XI made up of the best players he has shared a pitch with.
1 Goalkeeper Andre Arendse
I was with Andre at Mamelodi Sundowns and he is the best goalkeeper I have played with. He is older than me and at the time he was also one of the most experienced guys in our team, we used to look up to him. He was very reserved, honest and a great teammate. When I came at Sundowns, it was during the last years of his career and that is why he was well-respected and was a father figure.
Right-back John Mbidzo
I was with John at Bush Bucks – a very quiet guy and softly spoken – he would never raise his voice, even when he was supposed to get upset. He was similar to Musa Otieno – after training he would go home. He never went out – it was from home to work and then home. But a great defender and very dedicated too.
3 Left-back Siaka Tiene
I played with ‘Chicco’ at Mamelodi
Sundowns and in terms of football, he was brilliant and talented, and that why is he would go as far as playing in France’s Ligue 1. When he came to Sundowns with Franck Guela and Adamma Ouattara from Cote d’Ivoire, it was not easy for them to communicate in English but they improved with time.
4 Centre-back Liswa Nduti
I will go for Liswa in this position because he was a great player, but sometimes he was like a comedian too. He loved making jokes. He could read the game well and didn’t talk much. He was such a key player at Manning Rangers and worked hard for the team.
Centre-back Frank Schoeman
Franky was a cool, calm and collected centre-back and we were together at Bush Bucks. Being in that position, you must be able to communicate and Franky used to give directions on the field. People saw when he was with Bafana Bafana what he could do.
6 Central midfielder Thabo Mngomeni
Thabo found me at Bush Bucks and we became close friends. He was an introvert and didn’t really know how to express himself, and people didn’t ‘get’ him. But I understood him because I was close to him. Another great player.
7 Right-wing Mongi Rula
Mongi was skilful and created our goals at Bush Bucks. We called him Mseshi [pickpocketer]. He was truly from the rural areas, he was so humble and didn’t give anyone trouble. He was one of the teammates I admired when I joined Bush Bucks in 1994, when he had the ball no-one could take it away from him. But when he played against teams like Wits University or Hellenic – he was so scared because they used kick us a lot.
8 Playmaker Junaid Hartley
Junaid was a talented player who could create a chance out of nothing. During my first game at Ajax Cape Town against Santos, we were trailing 2-0 in the first half and Junaid scored two goals and we won 3-2. That was one of the best games I’ve seen him play.
9 Forward Wilfred Mugeyi
Wilfred was forceful and strong, and knew exactly what he was doing. His goals helped Bush Bucks a lot and he was doing his talking on the field. There were very few defenders who could cope with him.
10 Forward Brendan Augustine
Brendan was a short guy and yet he would outjump the tallest of defenders – how he did that I have no idea. A great striker for Bush Bucks as well. But Brendan enjoyed good times off the field and he was very naughty! But when he was playing, he was totally different.
11 Left-wing Isaac Kungwane
The late ‘Shakes’ was a great player and a great guy – he was so funny. He would tell me – ‘Sipho, your job is to win the ball and give it to me because you are a cow’. I got along well with him and we had a great team at Manning Rangers alongside guys like Gilbert Mushangazhike and Bruce Ramokgadi.