Sithebe looking to be that perfect 10
SIYETHEMBA Sithebe will be donning the jersey No 10 this season at AmaZulu and is cognisant of the weight of expectation that comes with the famous jersey number.
The iconic and enigmatic Siyabonga “Bhele” Nomvethe dazzled wearing No 10 on his back in the last years of his glittering career at Usuthu.
Nomvethe is the one who handed Sithebe his jersey upon his retirement. Bhele enjoyed an illustrious career. Everything he did had a subtlety, a class. The KwaMashu-born legend was blessed with great technical finesse.
“I’m honouring the legendary Bhele by taking this number because it has always been his desire to see me wearing it,” Sithebe said at the Umsunduzi Cup this past weekend at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg where Usuthu reigned supreme.
Sithebe posses the qualities that could see him following in the footsteps of Bhele. His touch and vision are extraordinary. He has been great for Usuthu in the past two seasons with his eye-catching displays.
“He told me to stay disciplined and grounded all the time. He encouraged me to keep working hard and push. I’m a hard-working player. His motivation has inspired me,” he added.
Sithebe is facing a mammoth task of emulating Bhele. Nomvethe is an icon in South African football. He represented his country at two Fifa World Cups, three Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic Games. His long list of accomplishments includes the Premier Soccer League Footballer of the Season and the PSL Golden Boots gongs and two league triumphs in Sweden and Denmark during his spell with Djugarderns and Aalborg respectively.
“Even though I won’t achieve all that he has achieved in the past, I’m optimistic that I will be able to achieve my goals and dreams,” Sithebe explained.
The deadlocked midfielder was instrumental for Usuthu this past weekend as they captured the Umsunduzi Cup. They defeated Bidvest Wits 2-1 to be crowned the champions.
“We haven’t played friendly matches with PSL teams. Today’s (Saturday) tournament helped us. We had a lot of positives from the two games that we played. I believe we are ready for the new season. We scored four goals in two matches which was very good for us. The winning momentum is also vital. We want to make winning a habit in our team,” Sithebe said.
Usuthu will now shift their focus in to the KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s Cup. They are the defending champions of the competition. AmaZulu play Uthongathi FC at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Saturday at 9am, and will tackle Lamontville Golden Arrows on Sunday.