How old is Thabang Monare?

Mazola Molefe: Are your issues with Amiens and the coach, Philippe Hinschberger, resolved? Our last interview ruffled some feathers.

Bongani Zungu: Let me put it this way, there was a lot of misunderstanding between myself and the club after our conversation. But we spoke about it and I decided to just focus on working hard, especially because the team was not doing well at the time. Then I had a conversation with the coach (Hinschberger had called Zungu ‘overweight’ and left him to train with the reserve team) to clear the air and he saw how I was training, was impressed and happy, so he gave me another chance, which I grabbed because I love playing football.

MM: Does this mean you both got things off your chest? For a while, it looked like you would never wear the Amiens jersey again.

BZ:

Yeah! It wasn’t just me and the coach, there were other people involved from the club. We spoke and I told them that I just want to focus on football and my work. Of course, if I get a chance, it is normal that I would want to help the club and help the team get positive results, and this is what happened.

MM: Where do you stand now as far as your future is concerned? The main issue when we last spoke was that you wanted to leave in January… you made that quite clear. It’s public knowledge now that your contract ends in June.

BZ:

Yes, we spoke about my contract. The club approached me about renewing it and things like that. And the coach also asked me about it a couple of weeks back. He wants to know what I want to do because the club is at a point where decisions must be taken about who is staying and who is going. I’ve asked for a few more weeks to decide – not that I don’t know what I want to do, but I just need the time to decide. If there’s anything important the club wants to discuss in terms of the contract, they can speak to my agent. For now, I want to focus on playing.

MM: But surely you would want this sorted as soon as possible? We can’t imagine you want to be in limbo for longer than this because no one ever wants a scenario where the next step is unclear.

BZ: Well, there are things that I discuss with my agent behind the scenes and he is obviously aware that the club approached me about a renewal and asked about my future – I am more open about this to my agent. That’s all it is at the moment. Of course, there is interest from other clubs and it’s normal that my agent and I will get calls. I am a good player. I suppose for now it is just a back-and-forth (situation) to decide what is the next step, while I focus on playing.

MM: We’ve spoken to your agent (Badara Wague) before and he’s made it clear that you want to stay abroad. But as you know, when a South African player overseas comes to the end of their contract, speculation is that he’s coming back home. Keagan

Dolly, who played

in France for more than four years, is an example after joining Kaizer Chiefs in July last year.

BZ:

I can’t say I won’t come back home – you never know. But personally, I think if the decision is only left to me and I have a choice in the matter, I would consider staying abroad and playing here for as long as possible. It’s not to say I am closing the door on returning to the Premier Soccer League, no. That door is still open – Mamelodi Sundowns is my home. I have met president Patrice Motsepe (now CAF president) a few times when I was still playing for the club and he said it himself that Sundowns will always be my home. I can play for any team, that door is still open. But for now, my agent and I believe I can still have a couple of years here abroad.

MM: Speaking of playing abroad, was part of you coming back into the team a change of position? You were used as a centre-back in one of the games and the feedback you got suggested you are a natural.

BZ:

No, it was a once-off. We had an injury crisis – our defenders were either out because of that or they were suspended. I remember the one time in training there were too many midfielders and I volunteered playing at the back in an 11-versus-11 situation. That position is more about using your brain. You don’t have to be fast, you just need to have timing. I’ve got that, and I did well in training, not knowing that one day we would have injuries

The last time Bongani Zungu spoke to Soccer Laduma, the midfielder had a few things to get off his chest regarding his situation at Amiens SC. With six months left on his contract with the French Ligue 2 outfit at the time, he made it clear he wanted out amidst interest from several suitors in Spain, Turkey, USA and Saudi Arabia as well as here in Mzansi. Kaizer Chiefs remain keen to lure him back to the Premier Soccer and suspensions. When it happened (against Nimes Olympique), the coach just asked me to play there because there was no one else and with the experience. We use three centre-backs and he needed someone who understood the system, but he gave me a choice. I could have still played in midfield. It was just one game until the guys got back. I am not a defender, but he wanted me to do him a favour and I took one for the team.

MM: And then you got a red card in the next game and got criticized by the coach and the club president for “losing your head” because Amiens lost.

BZ:

I was surprised by what the coach said because he made it look like I don’t have discipline or I lost my head. The Pau FC player took a dive in the box and I confronted the referee about the situation and asked for him to give out a yellow card. But the ref gave me a yellow for asking, and when I asked why he was giving me a yellow card, he then gave me a red card. That’s what happened and how I got sent off. I understand the coach was frustrated. It was a big game and you go one man down (in the 66th minute, and Amiens lost 2-1). I did not deserve to get the red card. These things happen in football, but it’s tough in France. Maybe when you say ‘good morning’ to the referee, you get a red card… it was just weird for me. All I did was ask a question. It’s normal, every player does that. It was just an unfair decision.

MM: The club president also had a bit of a go at you in the media.

BZ:

I spoke to him as well because he wasn’t happy. I told him that when I play, I give everything and

League, but the player and his agent are adamant Zungu has a few more years in Europe. In another honest interview with Soccer Laduma’s Mazola Molefe, the 29-year-old opens about out his return to action recently, why his former club Mamelodi Sundowns still have a special place in his heart and the devastation of missing out on a Bafana Bafana call-up against FIFA World Cup champions France in his own backyard next week.

I want to win games. To get sent off in a big game like that was not my intention. I know that when I went off, it became messy. It’s part of the game…

MM: Do you feel that game-time, especially given your contract situation, is vital? Maybe you are in some kind of shop window and clubs are looking… because you really haven’t played much football over the last year or so.

BZ:

You know, that’s part of the game. There was a point in my career where I had a long-term injury and every time you get back from an injury like that, you have to show that you are still the same player. It’s kind of like that at the moment. Right now, it is about me playing, doing well and trying to help the team. Whatever I do now, those performances I put out will have a say on my future. My contract is coming to an end and a lot of people or teams know me, but it is easier when you are playing to get the move that you want.

MM: If you stay in France, maybe it is easier. But it could be tricky to go back to Scotland, for instance, where you didn’t play a lot for Glasgow Rangers under Steven Gerrard. You didn’t play as much as you would have liked there.

BZ:

I owe it to myself to do well, I love football and it’s what I do best – when I play, I am happy and it shows. When I am out, then it’s a problem. That’s the type of guy I am. I analyze my own games - I don’t need a coach to tell me to run or pass the ball like this or that. I have been playing for a while now, it’s just about me right now and whatever happens, happens. If it’s a team from Turkey, USA, Ligue 1 in France – I will worry about that later. I need to show my quality and to prove to myself as well that I can still do it. I like to win. Even if I wasn’t playing here for Amiens, I would be no different.

MM: Are you playing for money? Players sometimes like to make it sound like that’s not a factor.

BZ:

Of course, money does matter. It plays a role in any decision-making, like where you want to go and things like that. It’s very influential – and that’s the dangerous part sometimes, especially if you are younger. You can get to a place where you can’t leave. Okay, you have the money… but you are not getting game-time. When you are a certain age, you can go and eat whatever you like. It’s not even always about a transfer to go somewhere else. To stay at your current club, you would need an improved offer at the end of your contract. This is football, you want to make sure that your family is good and you are covered – after football, you are still very young.

“Maybe when you say ‘good morning’ to the referee, you get a red card.”

“But for me, so far, it’s quite clear that he has got his own players.”

MM: So, you have to think ahead… BZ:

Absolutely. When you sign a new contract, you take a lot of things into account, like the length and things like that. Some of us

don’t want to play until we are 40. I want to start something else as soon as my career ends. I have already started thinking about that. I don’t want a situation where I am still in the team and blocking the young players that are coming through and need a chance. If I am still playing by that age, that would be purely because I love the game. It wouldn’t be about the money after the age of 35. I wouldn’t be fair on myself if I am still doing it for money by then because I think you need to already have plans about something you will focus on. I want to be honest to the game and still give 100 percent like before.

MM: That brings us nicely to the Bafana Bafana topic. You’ve not retired, but you haven’t been called up since November 2020. What’s going on?

BZ:

Well, I haven’t had any interaction with the national team coach (Hugo Broos). I don’t know him and I’ve never spoken to him. But for me, so far, it’s quite clear that he has got his own

players. It’s normal, every coach has got their plans and they’ve got their players. I am not complaining about not being in the national team and, if picked, I will do my best, as always. But I am not grumpy about it. I am not young anymore and I understand that maybe the coach has his own reasons or maybe I just haven’t played enough. And maybe my style doesn’t suit his. We have to also understand that, sometimes, even if fans complain and ask why certain players are not in the team, the coach has his own style of play. It’s like coach Gavin Hunt, if he were to coach Bafana, we can expect a particular philosophy, like long balls, for instance. He will always have a big striker, big defenders, like every coach has their preference. So, maybe I am not the type of player he (Broos) needs in the squad… I don’t know. But I am not grumpy about it. If ever in the future he wants to call me, I will be available and will always give my best. I will be a top midfielder for the national team. If he needs me, I am sure he has heard about me and he knows where to find me.

MM: You think Broos is looking at giving younger players a chance, perhaps? One of his comments when he took over was about reducing the age and planning for the future. Maybe it means he’s not thinking about you in the long-term… BZ:

(Cuts in) How old is Thabang Monare? He is older than me (32), so it is not about that. When you are good, you are good. When you deserve it, you deserve it because you are good enough. I believe I am good enough to play for Bafana, maybe it’s about the style of play or whatever. If (Itumeleng) Khune can play regularly for Chiefs, and we know when he is in the team and is fit he is a top player, he can be in the national team. I heard about that, that younger players are being given a chance, but he has picked Monare and some players that are older than me or my age. There was (Sifiso) Hlanti as well (before he got injured). Look, the coach knows where to find me. I will continue to work hard, but I will do it for myself.

I don’t know if he has heard about me or seen me play – maybe he has and he is not impressed. He has his own reasons, I haven’t spoken to him. It is not personal, it’s okay and maybe I will even go watch Bafana against France. I don’t have issues. I will keep supporting them because I am a South African and I love my national team.

MM: Thank you for your honesty, it’s refreshing. What do you think of the upcoming friendly between Bafana and France, the reigning FIFA World Cup champions?

BZ:

That’s not going to be easy. It’s a great opportunity for most of the players in South Africa to showcase their talent and our flair. Wait, let me not use that phrase “flair” because I don’t like that word. We speak about this flair, but we don’t have a lot of players in Europe – that means there’s something wrong with this flair over here. Maybe that is good enough in SA. The game will be tough. France are a quality team and have young players now like (Eduardo) Camavinga (Real Madrid) coming in and (Aurélien) Tchouaméni, a guy I know very well personally. He plays for Monaco and he is also coming into the squad, young and super talented. I just hope our guys can express themselves and compete.

MM: Bafana haven’t played in Europe since October 2012 when they faced Poland in Warsaw. Surely this is a step in the right direction, identifying top friendly international games.

BZ:

Every time we are used to playing friendlies against Namibia, Botswana… at least now this is quite good for the national team to compete. That’s where you see where you are, it’s a reality check for the players. The highest level is a reality check.

MM: Do you feel like you are missing out? Come on, who wouldn’t want to rub shoulders with the world champions…

BZ:

Of course! I love playing for my national team and being part of the team playing against France would have been great for everyone, me and the national team. But it’s life and these things happen. I feel like I am definitely missing out.