It was not much of a surprise
“Any advice you get, you take it on board and listen to the elders.”
“They are not going to reward someone who is chitchatting.”
What a stellar career Onismor Bhasera has enjoyed in South Africa, having crossed the border from neighbouring Zimbabwe as a lad with stars in his eyes to link up with Tembisa Classic back in 2004, just prior to the club being purchased and renamed M aritzburg United. Delivering his displays with the typical quietude of a defensive player, he has seen it all in M zansi, including playing in the Soweto Derby for Kaizer Chiefs, not to mention winning countless trophies with different clubs. The 36-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down, even if he knows he won’t play until he is as old as the biblical M ethuselah, and reuniting with a coach he’s worked with before, in Gavin Hunt, has given his career the kiss of life, sort of. Bash, as he is fondly known, is having a bash, so to speak! Soccer L aduma’s Delmain Faver caught up with the soft-spoken veteran as he talks about what has kept him going for so long and why he still remains influential for SuperSport United.
Delmain Faver: Bash, you’re having the season of your life at the moment!
Onismor Bhasera: Nah, the start has been good. I think… point of correction, it’s not really the season (where) I’ve been starting regularly. I think I’ve been starting regularly for the past seasons. L ook, we didn’t start the season well because we drew the first match (against Chippa United) and lost the next two matches (against AmaZulu and TS Galaxy), so it wasn’t a good start. But again, it was no need to panic because we were working very hard and getting positives from the matches, so we knew that somewhere somehow, it’s all about working hard and if we kept working hard, something would give one day.
DF: At every team you’ve been, you’ve managed to get game-time and make an impact. What’s your secret?
OB: Sure, it’s all about hard work. I had to pick it up after the first game where I had an ankle sprain and I had to miss three games, so after that, things have been looking very good. The recipe for that is hard work, putting in everything, being prepared to grind and also taking in all the instructions from the coaches.
DF: Speaking of coaches, Gavin Hunt seems to have brought back the mojo at SuperSport United, as you currently occupy third place after 11 DStv Premiership games.
OB: I don’t think our slow start was because of him. I think we had time together in the pre-season because if you check the games we lost, we were the better team in terms of creating the chances, so it was just a matter of ‘get going and put the ball back into the net’, which is happening now. L ike I said, there were a lot of positives that we could take from those matches. Coming back to Gavin… he is an experienced gaffer. He’s been around, he’s won it all and it’s a privilege to work with someone like him who has seen it all and has got that winning mentality and is always demanding for more. Even if you win one or two, he wants you to win four or five if it’s possible and make sure that you shut the backdoor.
DF: You’ve obviously worked with him before at Bidvest Wits. Same old, same old?
OB: He is the same personally, but in terms of the approach and the tactics and everything, the game is changing and of course he has learnt one or two things, you get my point? He is still that winner and he is still the one that is demanding more and he still wants to win each and every thing that is in front of him. In terms of the game and the knowledge, of course the game moves, but he is still that person who has got that hunger and wants to win each and every game. He’s still demanding and he’s got a sense of humour, so he’s the best coach to work with and enjoy yourself. It’s an honour and a privilege to be working with him again.
DF: Hunt believes in his players, regardless of age, as long as you work hard and produce the magic on the field… OB: Sure, definitely. You’ve seen everywhere he’s gone that if you show that you are prepared to put your body on the line and you are prepared to die for the club and go in there and give your all, Gavin is a coach who gives everyone a chance. If he is happy with your attitude and everything, he always gives everyone a chance regardless of how old or young you are. Previously, he was there at W its and you remember he signed my brother Vuyo Mere. He believes as long as you are giving something and working very hard and contributing to the team, why not? Right now, you can see our team is full of youngsters because he is someone who can instill that winning mentality and that spartan mentality to work together. He’s a gaffer and he’s seen it all, like I said.
DF: On an individual note, you have showed no signs of slowing down at age 36. How long can you still go on for?
OB: I have always said for as long as my body is still able to function and I’m still able to tell myself that I can do all of those things, time will tell, my brother.
DF: Andre Arendse, current Matsatsantsa assistant coach, went on until his 40s at the club. Are you perhaps looking to break that record?
OB: Sure, I hope so, my brother. You know with football, you always hope and pray that you stay injury-free and that’ stheonlyotherthing,butyoualways pray and hope that you can do your best and keep on working very hard.
DF: You first arrived on Mzansi shores as a fresh-faced youngster at Tembisa Classic in 2004. Talk about longevity. OB: I think one can say personally, the first thing to come out there is lifestyle. You have to take care of yourself, your body, get enough rest because at the end of the day, this is the body that gives you the ammunition and everything. So, that’s that. And of course, it’s working very hard. It’s not just gonna come easy, you need to work hard. Any advice you get, you take it on board and listen to the elders and whoever is there, like the coaches, and of course be disciplined in the game. Respect the game and the game will respect you. of the season, you were handed the captain’s armband. Did this come as a shock at all? OB: I think it was just a matter of continuing, just with the armband on my arm, but we just continued because even before that, as a senior player, regardless of whether you’re wearing the armband (or not), you need to be able to lead and guide the young players and be there in the forefront. So, it was a matter of assuming responsibility, which is what I’ve been doing. It’s something that I was used to doing by guiding the youngsters. It’s a big responsibility to lead, but it was not much of a surprise. I’ve been there and leading from behind and having chats with the likes of Ronwen and Bradley Grobler. So, I think what changed was just that armband because it’s something I was doing even when Ronwen was around.
DF: You’ve had your contract renewed a couple of times over the last few years at the Tshwane side. Does this serve as motivation knowing that you’re working for yet another deal?
OB: Not really. If I’m no longer motivated, then I won’t be around. The motivation is that I’m still there and I’m still able to do what I love and to be able to help the team, wake up in the morning and smile, driving to training regardless of the traffic to do what I love. To be rewarded with contracts is the club’s way of showing appreciation for what I do because they are not going to reward someone who is chit-chatting, you know the story. It’s all about your determination and when you get a chance, you grab it with both hands. W e don’t know the future. If you get a chance, even if it’s two or three games, give your all. It’s all about putting the badge first. It’s always been about that for me at SuperSport – every time I go (out) there, I give my all.
DF: Considering you’re among the top teams on the table, can we expect the old SuperSport United that used to win trophies?
OB: Sure. L isten, you don’t want to doubt yourself. You always want to believe that you can do better than the last season. There’s always that challenge, that’s where we set our goals. W e wanna do better than last season, so if last season we were in the Top Eight, we want to finish in the top three or participate in Africa. There’s always that opportunity regardless of who is at the club. In the past, regardless of what, we’ve been able to win one or two trophies, which has been the trend for the club. Even this season, we are looking ahead to try and work hard, and as long as we do that, you never know what can happen. The results will take care of itself. It’s always a challenge we give ourselves. W e never go into a season saying that we’re gonna get relegated – no, of course not. Everyone goes into the season saying we want to win the league. Just as in life, you’re gonna want to set yourself bars. Even though the club has followed the trend of developing youngsters, those youngsters will come in and know that this club is all about winning trophies, which we have to do at a young age so that when they grow up, they’ll have that mentality wherever they go. You see what happened with the likes of (Teboho) Mokoena, (Aubrey) Modiba, (Sipho) Mbule, they’ve gone to greener pastures and they’ve gone with that mentality for the rest of their lives, and all the best to them. So, SuperSport is going to continue developing and we thank the chairman (Khulu Sibiya) and the CEO (Stan Matthews) for doing a great job with the club.