I’ve seen it with my own eyes

Simphiwe ‘Shorty’ Dludlu was an uncompromising right fullback and, like a bull terrier, gained a reputation for the bite in her tackling. Following a successful career with Banyana Banyana, she has become one of the best national coaches in the country. In early September, she led a makeshift Banyana side to the final of the COSAFA Cup, where they went down 1-0 to a full-strength Zambia after extra time. In her eyes, that’s not disappointment, but rather encouragement as some of her charges did really well to catch the eye of coach Desiree Ellis. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Thomas Kwenaite, the 35-year-old astute mentor reveals how she almost quit football after she was dropped from the national set-up, why age-cheating is so prevalent in Africa and how she got to be nicknamed after a legendary former Italian national team star.

Thomas Kwenaite: Losing to Zambia in the final of the recent COSAFA Cup must have been both painful yet satisfying knowing all the regulars were absent.

Simphiwe Dludlu: I knew it was going to be a tough one. The majority of their players participated in the

Wafcon in Morocco. We had none of that kind of experience as our playin ers were featuring against Brazil those friendly matches. But I said to them, “Let’s go there – after all, we are in the final. Let’s have fun.” Actually, we almost scored in the first minute of the match and that gave me confidence to say I’ve got brave hearts on the field. At the end of 90 minutes, I said anything that happened after this was okay. We exceeded expectations losing in the final. By the way, it had to be Barbara Banda who rose above everyone else to score the decisive goal! But I was super impressed with the girls.

TK: Who, among them, can be quickly promoted to the senior team?

SD:

There are a couple that I feel can be fast-tracked. You look at the right back, Fikile Magama – she is one for the future. I think even coach Desiree (Ellis) was impressed with her. Jamie Lee (Witbooi), I think she can add value to the Banyana midfield. Lithemba Sam-Sam was our top goalscorer in the team. She can also be given support, guidance and some nurturing, but crucially, we must not rush her. She is only 17 and so probe motion must be gradual. She must brought up slowly.

TK: Which game, throughout the tournament, was the toughest?

SD: The game against Namibia was the toughest and not Zambia, even though many felt it was because we were playing a team that had been to the Wafcon, where they beat Nigeria and ended up getting a bronze medal. Namibia were not playing the ball much. They were kicking us, just unsettling our girls, so that game was really tough because we had a lot of casualties after that game.

TK: As a country, how much did we learn from the recent losses to Brazil?

SD:

The games exposed us and showed us how far we are as well as areas to work on and improve ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Granted, we are African champions, but there is still a lot of room for improvement for us in different positions. The goalkeeping department as well as up front because if we have out-and-out strikers that are able to score goals, we don’t have to rely on Jermaine Seoposenwe or Thembi Kgatlana to score goals for us. We must produce players that can put their hands up and be responsible for scoring goals.

TK: SAFA have hinted that they will be bidding for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027. How do you feel about that?

SD: I think it would take us further than where we are right now, because if you look at the Super League that is taking place every weekend, it has improved the standards immensely. To be honest, I don’t think I would have been able to take a team to the COSAFA Cup within two days and compete as much as we did. Losing only after extra time was an indication of the physical conditioning of the girls, thanks largely to the Super League.

TK: Recently, we read a shocking story about sexual harassment and abuse within the Zambian women’s national team. Don’t you think it’s time federations appointed women to coach female sides?

SD:

In South Africa, we are doing that already. In the team that I led in the COSAFA Cup tournament, from the doctor to kit the manager, including the goalkeeper coach, it was an all-woman affair. SAFA took a decision that U17, U20 and senior (national) female teams would be coached by females, and perhaps this could assist in minimising a lot of those concerns. But we must not appoint women for the sake of gender parity, we must make sure that we have the most qualified coaches in charge. But harsh penalties need to be imposed against anyone found guilty of such acts.

TK: You are a product of the Tuks Academy. How has such a structure changed the face of local football?

SD: Being part of the SAFA Girls Football Academy, based at the High Performance Centre (HPC) at Tuks, has been incredible. I was one of the first intakes and, to be honest, when you look at the current Banyana team, it is worth noting that Linda Motlhalo, Kaylin Swart, Bongiwe Gamede, Karabo Dlamini, Sibulele Holweni, Thembi Kgatlana, Noxolo Cesane, Nomvula Kgoale, Amogelang Motau, Mamello Makhabane, Mpumi Nyandeni all graduated from that academy. Also, what is happening at Maties in the Western Cape must be strongly encouraged because all of those schools need to be centres that will make sure there is focus on sport. As Africans, we need to adopt certain things from Europe and implement them.

TK: How much has your UEFA coaching badge empowered you?

SD: It has taken me places I never imagined possible. I cannot wait to go and do my UEFA A Licence because it changed my perspecit’s tive of football and come in handy day by day. I now understand certain things that I see in the world football space that I was obliviwith ous about. It helps me how teams are operating and how football is evolving. It helps me with my analysis (on television), it helps me with my coaching. When I add my CAF A Licence as well, it’s important for me to understand how domesAffunctions tic football and how rican football and what the world requires. Those coaching badges that you get outside of Africa help you to match all these types of information that you acquire and are able to put to better use.

TK: As their former player, what did you make of the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies winning the CAF Champions League?

SD: Sundowns (Ladies) have always been ahead of a lot of teams. They were the first team, probably, to have surnames at the back of their shirts. They have always been that team that made sure that they take care of their players. At Sundowns, there is equal treatment. Yes, the paycheques might not be the same, but there are certain elements where the club does not compromise and that is why Sun downs will always win because they have the ability to

acquire any player they require.

TK: Is age-cheating in women’s football as rife as in male football? SD: I have seen it with my own eyes and it’s disturbing. In other countries, they start activities at U13 and U15, unlike in Africa where you find that age-cheating is so prevalent because these teams want to qualify by all means possible, whether foul or fair. They don’t care about the structure of organically putting teams together, nurturing players into a system for development and all of that. You look at Morocco now, they beat the Ghana females in the final U17 qualifier because the Ghanaians were forced to withdraw certain players that were overage. If it wasn’t discovered, Ghana probably would have qualified for the World Cup with overage players.

TK: Let’s now roll back the years. You made your international debut in Mozambique in 2006. What do you remember about the match?

SD:

I still remember a lot about my international debut. I was one of those vertically challenged players. I came in as a substitute and I remember coach Augustine Makalakalane saying, “Hey, short pants! Ke nako ya hao ya ho kena. Tsamo bapala! (It’s your time to get in, go and play football)!” I went in at right back and the rest is history. I made more and more appearances and sometimes I would be in camp but not get a chance to play. However, I knew my time was coming. I just needed to keep focused, work harder and just stay the course.

TK: You became Banyana captain three years later. How did you embrace the responsibilities of leadership?

SD:

It was hard because in 2006, I was voted out of the team that was going to the Ghana Wafcon. I didn’t go and I almost gave up. I thought maybe this thing was not for me. I was already at the HPC starting my first year at varsity, I continued training. Three years down the line, when I was the captain of the team, it was another responsibility that I looked at and said I was going to take it with both hands and continue because working hard is part of my nature. I knew that I had to serve the team and I think those abilities helped and my personal attributes helped me to be able to lead the team. We had struggles and challenges in there, but I still made sure that I did my best.

TK: Which has been the most painful memory for you?

SD:

When omitted from the team that went to play Wafcon in Ghana, and the other being when I got injured. We were preparing for an Olympic qualifier against Zambia and arranged a friendly game at the King Zwelithini Stadium. I twisted my ankle and had to be withdrawn. Since then, I was never recalled and I saw them go to the 2012 Olympics and I was in excruciating pain. Again, I almost gave up on football. I felt football could go to hell for all I cared! I literally didn’t watch anything about football, I didn’t even watch some of the games. I felt I should have been there in London playing right back! I was a bitter player and a bitter person.

TK: You mean to tell us you scored only one goal in 63 international matches?

SD: Bengiwavimba (I was stopping them from going in)! I was one of the best right backs. Ngiyo skora skhathi bani? (What time was I going to score?) The goal was during the All-Africa Games and the coach said to me, “You are going to play left wing.” We were playing Ghana and I saw a cross coming and ran towards it and smashed the ball into the net with all the power I could muster, a rocket header! That’s how I scored my single goal at international level.

TK: Thank you so much, Cannavaro!

SD: You are most welcome. ❐