Shaun Permall
The former striker was once a star with Kaizer Chiefs but was forced into retirement at the age of 26. He shares his story with KICK OFF.
As a kid, Shaun Permall was involved in a car accident that left him with a disparity in the length of his legs. He was told he is not good enough through his junior playing days. But he ended up breaking into the PSL as a teenager, was wanted by eight clubs and eventually signed for Kaizer Chiefs. At 26, he retired having been ravaged by injuries. In this interview he tells Lovemore Moyo how he has gone on to make the switch from the life of a professional footballer to a normal worker now employed in the uniformed forces.
In 1998, the last year before the amalgamation of Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars to form Ajax Cape Town; a teenage forward ran out for his debut in the colours of Spurs against Vaal Professionals, playing with the enthusiasm that came with his age.
He was a 17-year-old named Shaun Permall, who had earlier on in that week done duty for Portland High School as a striker, alternating with playing in Spurs’ junior teams.
That 1998/99 season was when he made his debut and rubbed shoulders with Craig Rosslee, David Kannemeyer, Matthew Booth, David Modise, the late Edzai Kasinauyo, Theo Hempe, Manni Rodrigues, Epangala Lokose, Ian Gorowa and Moomba Ngandu, among others.
It was rather surprising that a kid who was considered not good enough through early teenage years was now suddenly worthy of his opportunity in the PSL.
“I was just never good enough because that is what I was told when I was moved from the Under-15 A team to the B team,” Permall recalls from his junior days playing for clubs in Mitchell’s Plain.
“So, I played in the B team and made peace with that. It was disappointing, but then I never stopped training hard which is why I was pushing just as hard in the B team. I trained myself as hard as I could.
“At junior level I never even played provincial football and then I went to trial at Hellenic three years in a row but never made it. I was never regarded as one of the best footballers at junior level, but I worked hard.
“My attitude was always, ‘I am going to show you now and I will do it better’. That was my attitude because I was never one to feel pushed down. A lot of kids would have stopped playing completely if they were told that they are not good enough, but not me.
“I didn’t allow that to happen but went out to show what I can do and that is why I became who I became. It was only when I was playing PSL football at Ajax that I was called to play provincial football and I declined it because I then got a call-up to the national Under-23 team.
“I think everyone who knew me from junior football was more surprised than anything seeing me arriving in the PSL.
What they didn’t know is that I trained very hard on my own every day between doing schoolwork,” says Permall, whose first contract came with a stipend of R500 per month in 1998.
“The money came in an envelope as cash but the excitement for me was playing football with people that I had seen playing when I was in primary school, like David Modise and Theo Hempe, who had been my coach at Liverpool Portland.
“I was never worried about money because all I wanted was to play football at that time. It was never about money for me my whole career but rather playing the game I love,” he points out.
Scoring in the BP Top 8 Final
From having played all his football off the bench in his first two seasons in the PSL during which he even had to compete with Fani Madida and Bennett Masinga, Permall exploded in the 2000/01 season.
Eleven goals, one of which was a spectacular effort in the BP Top Eight final defeat by Orlando Pirates, through a campaign in which they lifted the Rothmans Cup meant his name was now a focal point while he was still a teenager.
That famous Ajax team had Eddie Dinha, Brett Evans, Duran Francis, Dominic Isaacs, Jeremy Jansen, Shaun Potgieter, Dillon Sheppard, Steven Pienaar, Calvin Marlin and Shaun Oliver.
“The goal against Pirates late in the game put me on the map and in the Rothmans [final], I only played the first game and not the replay in midweek. I had a fall out with the coach, and they put me on transfer.
“I was holding out to stay in Cape Town because I didn’t want to leave the city. I was going to join Hellenic but then went to the Under-23s and my agent told me that there were eight offers, with Bush Bucks boss Sturu Pasiya even calling my parents.
“SuperSport United, Santos and Hellenic were all also keen, but while we were in camp, I got a call from John Comitis telling me that he had accepted an offer from Chiefs, and it was my choice to leave or not.
“Then I thought to myself, ‘this is the biggest club in the country and should be the only way I leave Cape Town’. I couldn’t say no to Chiefs. There was no way I was going to let that pass,” remembers Permall.
He left for Naturena in July 2001. Permall was 19 at the time and arrived along with Stanton Fredericks, Kenny Niemach, Rene Richards, Rowen Fernandez and Jose Macamo.
Permall’s return through that famous season when Chiefs managed Operation Vat Alles was seven goals – not disappointing for a young Capetonian in only his first season at the biggest club in the land.
The BP Top Eight, Coca-Cola Cup and CAF Cup Winners Cup winners’ medals all found their way into his cabinet.
“Arriving at Chiefs, I was close to Stiga [Fredericks], so he at least helped me to adjust. A lot of players struggle in Jo’burg because they want to be back at home every chance they get, but it wasn’t the case with me.
“I just wanted to play football and I was settled considering that I had also upgraded from the apprentice contract that I was on at Ajax, which
“MY ATTITUDE WAS ALWAYS, ‘I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU NOW AND I WILL DO IT BETTER’.”
had increased to R3,000 with games that you played.
“When I went to Chiefs the salary went up by more than five times and I got a signing on fee, which I wasn’t used to. Chiefs gave me everything, including a fully furnished flat. It wasn’t a lot of money compared to today, but it was enough to take care of everything.
“The first thing I bought was a Honda Civic because I needed to move around, plus Stiga and [ Thabo] Mooki both had that car, but it was eventually stolen after having kept it for a while.
“When I was at Swallows, I had three cars while living at a flat in Linden nden I didn’t have enough parking space, so I parked it outside Ashley Opperman’s house, from where it was stolen.”
‘I never saw eye-to-eye with Bobby’
In his second season at Chiefs, it all went pearshaped with the club not winning anything while he didn’t score a single goal.
“I had a fall out with management, especially after Muhsin [Ertugral] left with Doc [Khumalo] and
Ace [Khuse] taking over. When Ted Dumitru came in the following season, he didn’t even consider us.
“I never saw eye-to-eye with Bobby Motaung and after I was sent off against Sundowns when I kicked Mike Manzini, I was fined my whole salary in January. I then had an altercation with Bobby and from there it all went sour. Worse was that I was picking up injuries.
“My issue was that as a 10-year-old I was in a car accident and broke my leg, so I had this discrepancy in my legs with my left leg shorter than the right. Nhlanhla Kubeka also had a similar problem.
“When I get hurt it is always on my right because it carries the weight. My alignment is totally out, even today I face the same problem in having pain if I run far. Chiefs even took me to a podiatrist, but I just couldn’t handle to play with extra inner soles because it was all draining me physically,” he explains.
Then, at the start of the 2003/04 season with Chiefs bringing in Patrick Mayo, Sibusiso Dlamini and Kaizer Motaung Jnr, he was sent to Swallows as AmaKhosi also offloaded Macamo, Rodney Thobejane, Kelvin
Mus Mushangazhike, Justice Sith ole, Niemach, Patr rick Mbuthu and Phu umlani Mkhize.
I n his first season wit th The Dube Birds he won the ABSA Cup, sco oring once before ad dding four in his se econd campaign.
His game time count further dwindled with three substitute appearances all season in his third year with injuries further running havoc on his body.
“I had my first knee operation at Swallows and then tore my ACL ligament towards the end of my stay there which left me out for like a year. I didn’t play at all in the 2006/07 season, though I went to train with APOP Kinyras in Cyprus. When I came back, I then signed with Ikapa Sporting for the 2007/08 season,” says Permall.
Life after football
Having scored once after starting one game all season following a third operation on the same knee, and with Ikapa going through financial troubles, he threw in the towel before he had turned 27.
He immediately took employment as a bank teller at ABSA, working there for five years, but now works as a law enforcement officer for the City of Cape Town.
“I decided I am done with football after that because I had a family to take care of, so since I had passed my Matric I got a job at ABSA. This was after selling some properties that I had as I needed to maintain the life I was living.
“I worked at ABSA in Meadowridge here in Cape Town, then went to Randburg in Jo’burg in 2011 after which I was at the Clearwater branch until 2014, when I moved back to Cape Town.
“In 2015, my brother was volunteering in law enforcement at schools and took his applications to the head office and while there the lady asked why I don’t apply as well. I think I look intimidating!
“I applied and two weeks later got the job and have been in it s since then up to now. The initial p programme was to try and get k kids out of gangsterism and drugs. I’ macon stable and work with D Darrel Smith [a former Hellenic and B Bloemfontein Celtic striker] as my in nspector.
“I write fines, arrest people and do whatever is required as a law en nforcement officer. I know you want to o ask about the shift to working here aft fter having played football, but for me it wasn’t so bad because I have ch hildren to look after.
“A lot of former players still want to be involved in football after their pla aying days, but I am OK being aw way and don’t have to be struggling kee eping up with the football lifestyle. I do help where I can in amateur club but it’s just recreational.
“I watch European football a lot because I support Manchester United, while locally I watch Cape Town Spurs, Chiefs and some players that I know. I am not so much into local football anymore since my job as assistant coach to Brakkies [Swallows FC coach Brandon Truter] at Ikapa in 2017.
“I am happy where I am and football is secondary because it is not the beginning and end for me,” says the father of two kids.
“I DECIDED I AM DONE WITH FOOTBALL AFTER THAT BECAUSE I HAD A FAMILY TO TAKE CARE OF.”