Ngcongca heads back to Belgium
NOMVETHE: EXPERIENCE GAINED ABROAD WILL HELP
Michaelson Gumede
In an unexpected move, Anele Ngcongca has left Mamelodi Sundowns and returned to Belgium, where he played for Racing Genk for about 10 years. KSV Roeselare, who compete in Belgium’s second tier, yesterday announced that they had snapped up the defender.
Siyabonga Nomvethe, who has walked this road before as one of the few South African players to come back from Europe and make a U-turn, says Ngcongca’s move to Belgium is evidence that experience is “priceless”.
“This team that captured his services are clearly in need of an experienced player in that department. The experience that he gained while playing abroad will work for him because he has played there for a long time and it shows that he is someone who is still determined and hungry to play,” Nomvethe told Phakaaathi.
Ngcongca is turning 33 years old in exactly three months and Nomvethe says while the hunger and desire to play is one of the driving forces behind Ngcongca’s move, the financial incentives play a huge role as well.
“Money will always be a factor and it depends on how badly a person wants it. It is a personal decision as to whether you want to go back to Europe again and another thing is, if the money that he is going to get is much better than what Sundowns paid him, then, why not?
“The youngsters also need to be motivated by this so that they can also get those opportunities to go to Europe. Anele has got another chance and this shows that KSV Roeselare will be banking on his experience.
“They have seen him playing in the Uefa Champions League and the Europa League,” said Nomvethe, who added that he is very happy to see the veteran defender moving again to a club outside of the country.