Katsande has no hard feelings
WILLARD KATSANDE says he has no hard feelings as he walks away from Kaizer Chiefs after 10 years of service.
The 35-year-old divided opinion among the Amakhosi fans after the club decided against renewing his contract.
Katsande was among the seven players released by the club this week.
Recounting his decade at the Naturena, in an interview with The Newsroom Africa, Katsande said he was proud of the time he spent at the Soweto giants.
He won two league titles, the MTN 8 and the Nedbank Cup, before helping the club reach the final of this year’s CAF Champions League, for the first time in their history.
“It has been a gorgeous journey for me, after coming from Zimbabwe as a nobody. You could see, even the way I was signed, I was just a bench warmer,’’ he said.
“I arrived by that time (Tinashe) Nengomasha was ageing and they were trying to get somebody to fill in his shoes.’’
Katsande joined the Glamour Boys from Ajax Cape Town — now known as Cape Town Spurs — in July 2011.
Despite losing 0-3, in the Champions League final to Al Ahly in Morocco, Katsande became the first foreign player, to clock 326 games, for Chiefs.
Nengomasha previously held the record with 325 appearances.
“You know, to fill Nengomasha’s shoes was not something easy,’’ sai Katsande.
“But, when I started I didn’t even look at that. It’s something that you don’t even want to look at because we all know how his journey was.
“So, I stood my ground, I did what I did and I am proud of myself. It’s just that sometimes, in a relationship, it’s always painful, and emotional, when both parties agree to part ways.
“Obviously, without even fighting, it’s always painful.”
Katsande had wanted a last dance with Chiefs but contract extension talks did not yield any success.
But, there is a possibility of him being absorbed in the Chiefs’ structures, in the future.
“Yes, I can say that because those are the talks we are having with the club to say what should we do, where is your passion, where do you want to be, where do you see yourself?
“Then, I have to think hard and say Willard Katsande, where is your passion, in terms of football, and so forth?
“But, in the meantime it’s not something that is in my head because I have to sit down with my family and try to show them where I am coming from and where I am going.”
Katsande was known for his no-nonsense approach, in the heart of midfield, the neversay-die spirit and the workaholic attitude which won him many admirers, in the Chiefs family.
The year 2016 should rank as his best, in terms of individual performances, at Chiefs.
He won the Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Fans Player of the Season, at the club’s awards.
He bagged R175 000 in prize money to cap a superb season in which he finished as Chiefs’ the second-top scorer, with seven goals, despite being a defensive midfielder.
The Amakhosi decided not to extend
Katsande’s contract due to the arrival of Cole Alexander and their marquee signing, Keegan Dolly.
“Sometimes, we have to be proud and celebrate what you have left behind because, at the end of the day, we are not going to play football until we die,” he said.
“But, I feel like the club has been good to me, from day one.
“This club took me when I was a nobody, when nobody gave me a chance and now this journey has come to an end.
“I never had any argument with anyone in the club to say Willard is a problem or to say the club is mistreating me.
“I will be lying and ungrateful to say those kinds of words.
“It was a business. The club was not doing me a favour, I was not doing the club a favour, we were business partners, working together.
“So, they don’t owe me and I don’t owe them but if I get something from the club that will be a benefit for me.”
Katsande, who is now being linked with a possible move to AmaZulu, was one of the seven players who were released by Chiefs.
The other players whose contracts were not renewed are defender Kgotso Moleko, Philani Zulu and goalkeeper Brylon Petersen.
Zambian forward Lazalous Kambole and Yagan Sasman have been transfer-listed along with Chiefs Youth Development Academy’s product Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya.
“The Club would like to truly thank all the players for the immense contribution to Kaizer Chiefs over the last number of seasons.
“Special mention goes to Willard Katsande, who spent the last decade with Chiefs, giving his all.
“He is a consummate professional who was dedicated to his work and ready to fight for the team, like a soldier.
“We honour him! Farewell to the players and we wish them all the best in the future,” said the statement from Chiefs.
Khama Billiat and four other players, who include veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, Lebogang Manyama, Bernard Parker and Ramahlwe Mphahlele, were given contract extensions.