One thing I’m enjoying…
Ubuntu Cape Town midfielder, Jesse Donn, talks to Soccer Laduma’s Peter Raath about his dream of making it big in pro football. He also discusses missing out at Amajita, life under Vladislav Heric and more…
Peter Raath: Why did you decide to turn professional with Ubuntu Cape Town despite being offered full bursaries from a number of US colleges and the prospect of playing in Croatia?
Jesse Donn:
I certainly did consider going to the US because I know how important education is. But, in the end, after praying a lot, I decided to become a pro in my home country. By playing in the NFD, I’d be pushing myself and probably taking a smaller step towards pursuing my dream of making it big as a footballer. In 2017, I was very fortunate to train with Hajduk Split, who are generally regarded as Croatia’s second best club after Dinamo Zagreb FC. However, after being offered only an U19 contract, I decided against the move in order to complete my school matric year. Although my aim is to play in Europe, the timing actually coincided with Ubuntu buying FC Cape Town’s franchise.
PR: What are your thoughts on being overlooked for the U20 AFCON after earning an Amajita cap last year in the qualifiers?
JD:
To be honest, missing the 2019 AFCON was disappointing as I thought that I’d been playing good football. Although my belief is that I could have added value to the squad, which qualified for the U20 World Cup, the Amajita coaches got something right. I also understand that they have to do what’s best for the team. I’m still hopeful of a place in the World Cup squad. You never know… there might be an injury to one of their defensive midfielders. I’m very proud of that first cap, which came in the final 15 minutes when we were leading 3-0 against Mozambique in the home leg. It was an important moment for me as it showed that Ubuntu, a small club in Cape Town, who nobody knew much about, were starting to be put onto the map. That was recognition for all the hard work that I’d been putting in. I was really, really blessed and enjoyed the opportunity. Initially Amajita’s coach, Thabo Senong, spotted me when Ubuntu played against AmaZulu in the 2018 Nedbank Cup. I think he also saw the Free State Stars game, which I guess made it more concrete that I was able to play in his U20 set-up.
PR: Returning to Ubuntu… Has your head coach, Vladislav Heric, brought any new theories to the team, which ex-coach, Casey Prince, perhaps lacked?
JD: That’s a tough one. I’ve known Prince since I started with Ubuntu at about the age of 11, so it’s difficult as a player to see a coach, who I know can be successful, not be successful. But it seemed under him that things weren’t clicking. The big difference is that Vladislav Heric has simplified the game for us. We therefore don’t get caught up in all different tactics. When he says things, it’s easy to be captivated, which is a big part in developing respect within the team and helping us to follow his routine. Vladislav is well respected. We know where he’s been. One thing I’m enjoying is that the coach intentionally works with every player on an individual basis and lets each one of us know exactly what’s required to improve.
PR: Are there any specific issues that he’s been challenging you on?
JD:
My scanning and awareness. Scanning basically implies that you’re turning your head to look around at the positions of your opponents and teammates. He wants me to be fully aware of what’s going on in order to make the best decision when the ball comes or even before it reaches me. The interesting aspect is that Heric originally played in my position, he knows what to expect from me. It’s also about me picking up little skills to get away from opponents, hiding my intentions and not being readable. I’m already starting to improve, which is a plus. When a coach shows that he cares by putting effort into your development as a person and a player, it gives you that feeling of freedom and also wanting to do well.
PR: On that note, Heric has certainly lifted Ubuntu out of the doldrums by engineering five wins, including against Jomo Cosmos; however, the team has also succumbed to high-flying Stellenbosch FC and Mbombela United.
JD:
It was crazy that Ubuntu lost the Stellenbosch match 2-0, but it shows why they are where they are. We outplayed them in many facets. Our team had about 26 shots, 15 on target. Mbombela didn’t create many clear-cut chances, but more importantly, they took one of them after we failed to capitalise on our early dominance. In-between those losses, it was great beating Jomo Cosmos 2-1. Historically, they are a very good team. The nature of the NFD is unpredictable, so you can’t get complacent at all. Considering our log position, we have to see every single game as an opportunity to get three points. There’s still lots of fight left in the guys.
PR: This was evident in your 2-1 win over Maccabi FC as Waseem Isaacs scored his 10th goal.
JD:
I’m glad Waseem is finally reaping the rewards for his hard work and proving that he can score with his head, right and left foot as we climb the log.