What happened to nicknames?
Nicknames have been a big part of South African football from time immemorial. These are monikers given to the players by the supporters, mostly, in appreciation of their great and consistent performances for their favourite teams. Funnily enough, supporters would sometimes show their love by giving a nickname to a new signing even before said player showed them what he had in his arsenal.
That was the supporters’ way of showing love, appreciation and welcome to the new member in the family. By the same token, they were registering their expectations and making the new player know exactly what he meant to them and what, in return, they expected from him. These nicknames were coined from everything and everywhere, not shortened names but nicknames, and that’s where the supporters’ creative juices would start flowing. Even non-football people would be so keen to see these players just from hearing their nicknames because they always told a story. It was a well-calculated and well-thought process because that nickname would sometimes over-last even the player’s real names. To this day, there are players people would scratch their heads trying to recall their real names, but the nicknames are still stuck in their heads. Think of the legendary Vusi Lamola and you will be surprised by how many people don’t even remember the legend’s first name as he’s widely known as ‘Computer’ and there are so many such examples because, back in the day, every top player had a nickname. Those who were fortunate enough to watch this legend in action will have you know that he wasn’t called ‘Computer’ for nothing. He was literally the team’s ‘Computer’ as he dictated terms and influenced the game like no other. He was the think-tank, the visionary and mastermind who made things happen and, by so doing, earned the respect of his teammates, opponents and even opposition supporters because of just how great he was.
These days, we see and hear scribes and commentators clutching at straws trying to conjure up nicknames for the players. Nicknames are either hard to come by or a lot of the current players aren’t doing enough to get the supporters’ creative juices flowing. There’s very little creativity because nicknames now are more like shortened names of the players. You can’t ‘nickname’ Ramahlwe Mphahlele as ‘Rama’, for instance, because that’s his name. Players used to be given names all the time and theirs was to ensure they lived up to the expectations. No supporter would call you ‘Black Jesus’ and not expect miracles from you on the field of play. It is a no-brainer! So, the player had to make sure that he delivered miracles on a regular basis in order to keep his nickname and prove to those who bestowed it on him that he was worthy. That’s why the late Emmanuel Scara Ngobese was always out to put a smile on the supporters’ faces because he understood his assignment. Whenever he touched the ball, there was an expectation of a miracle or something out of the ordinary from the skillful attacker. Whenever the chips were down, Black Jesus was always expected to turn water into wine for his team. That was a responsibility that came with his nickname and it kept him on his toes because, once again, he knew his responsibility. He couldn’t just play like any other player and get away with it. He could not hide on the field and think he was going to get away with a few glimpses of brilliance. He had to be on the ball as much as possible to keep the supporters cheering on by giving them something to smile about, much to the opposition’s frustration.
There’s a reason Jerry Sikhosana is still affectionately known as ‘Legs of Thunder’ because he packed a mean shot, diminutive as he was for a striker, and he always lived up to expectations. Almost everything he touched with his feet became thunderous and he was so consistent at it. Jerry was never content, he always wanted to do more for his club.
Failure to find the back of the net either due to being marked out of
the game or lack of creativity from his teammates always frustrated him. He could hardly hide it and always wanted things to go his way because he was ‘Legs of Thunder’! Think of the late Lesley ‘Slow poison’ Manyathela and you get why he was called by that nickname. It is not every day that you get a striker as slow but dangerous as Manyathela was. The venom in his sting was so dangerous it made him special. He was a ‘killing me softly’ kind of a striker who didn’t make much noise even with his runs but was good enough to find the back of the net with regular ease. The supporters, once again, got it 100% right with his nickname and just like everyone else, he knew what was expected of him. Nothing flashy, no need to run all over the field in search of the ball or chasing action, all he needed to do was to hang around the opposition box and strike when it mattered most. Manyathela was not your Cristiano Ronaldo or Erling Haaland but a slow poison that he was named after. He was deadly in front of goal and any defender keeping an eye on him was destined for a slow and painful ‘death’ as chances of losing him were very high.
In recent years, we’ve seen a drop in nicknames, with people so desperate for nicknames that they would shorten names as monikers, but that was never the case before. Chincha Guluva, Sister Monica, Ayatshis’
Amateki, Sputla, Ten-Ten, Masterpieces, Six Mabone, Phinda Mzala, Professor and Jingles are just some of the nicknames that ring a bell when one thinks of South African football nicknames. What happened to local football and nicknames? Is it because the supporters have become less interested in nicknaming their players or the players are not delivering on their end of the bargain and therefore not getting the supporters’ adulation? Whatever it is, we need to go back to when it was fashionable for almost every footballer to have a nickname so that we can hold them to the reason they were bestowed with that moniker in the first place. In return, the players will also have a constant reminder of the supporters’ expectations from them. That way, everyone benefits because it is great for the Beautiful Game when there’s a level of excitement through nicknames, then the players have a responsibility and know they are expected to deliver regularly, while the supporters are reaping the rewards of their creativity, seeing the players live up to expectations. Maybe reintroducing nicknames would go a long way in improving our individual players, then teams and eventually our football at large as there will be a standard and more consciousness about the responsibilities and expectations for our players. Maybe nicknames are the kick that some of our players need in order to take their game to the next level. Surely any player that feels loved and appreciated will always go out of his way to ensure he keeps his supporters happy and even go beyond that by gaining the love and respect of the opposition.
This weekend, we’re going to the biggest game in the SA football calendar, the Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium. Normally, the buzz would’ve been felt from weeks ago as we build up to the game, but not much has been happening on that front. Also, supporters would have their placards with their superstars and
their nicknames on them, but that’s hardly happening these days. Supporters aren’t even coining songs about the players anymore, yet that used to be something like a ritual. You
think about established poster boys from the two teams and you scratch your head because there are, unfortunately, very few options. Such a sad state of affairs!