Mollo strikes balance on, off pitch

AWAY from the field, Banyana Banyana striker Sanah Mollo is on a mission to become a marketing guru.

With a degree in marketing she obtained at the University of Free State and a job as an operational specialist at Telkom in Centurion, the 28-year old cannot sit around at home and hope football will one day provide for her.

There are a lot of women who still think if you play for Banyana Banyana you ve made it. But we need to be realistic. You can t sit there and think Banyana Banyana will buy you a house,” said the talented striker, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns ladies team.

It hurts when you hear Bafana Bafana went to a tournament and were promised R1-million. And you are sitting and thinking you have more than 50 caps and can t even buy a house.

Most of our players don t even have cars. The ones who do are working. With my job it s possible [to get a house]. The pay is good. When I leave here to play football, it s no work no pay. But I still do it because I love it.”

On her life at Sundowns, she added: I can say we re the better looked after team at Sundowns in the Sasol League. Even though we don t get salaries, we get a transport stipend every month.”

Mollo, who made her Banyana debut in 2006, gets to work at 7am so she can leave the office by 4pm

to get to training.

At times, she works overtime to catch up on her work whenever she is in camp with Banyana.

That s my everyday life. Marketing is broad. I d really like to move to brand sponsorships and events and public relations one day. Oh and sports marketing as well.”

Her journey to Banyana began at The Birds FC, an amateur club Mollo joined when she was nine.

I grew up with my cousins, boys, and my older brother. I played football with them and a friend, a girl, invited me to train with The Birds FC. I went once and I never stopped. My parents were against it. I used to get a hiding for going to

practice. Now they re supportive, said Mollo, whose father runs a taxi business. Born in the Free State town of Villiers, Mollo will need time off work when Banyana take part in the Olympic qualifiers and the All Africa Games later this year.

She has become a player Banyana coach Vera Pauw can t do without.