Alan Robertson was "falling out of love" with soccer and contemplating a future as a chartered accountant before embarking on a footballing adventure that has offered a chance for a different taste of life.
It was early 2022 when the tall centre back, whose career started at University of Pretoria before moving to Stellenbosch FC, was told his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season.
It was a blow that hit hard and left Robertson, who then just turned 28, both bemused and hurt, and needing to make a decision over his future.
He had proven a stalwart through Stellenbosch's promotion to the top flight in 2019 and then their ups and downs in the DStv Premiership as they finished 10th in their first season, then narrowly avoided relegation in their second, but were busy heading to a top-four finish when he was told his services were no longer required.
"We had a really good start to that season, and were sitting fourth, but the club informed quite a few of us that they weren't going to renew," Robertson tells SoccerClub.
"Stellies was quite taxing on me. I sort of wanted to find a love of football again and just enjoy it. For a while, I had been wanting to use football as a means to travel as well as still play at a half decent level."
Then, with a touch of serendipity. Robertson was contacted from Asia, via his LinkedIn account.
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de Soccer Club.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de Soccer Club.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
WORLD BEATER
MANCHESTER CITY AND SPAIN MIDFIELDER RODRI HAS BEEN COLLECTING TROPHIES IN HUGE NUMBERS IN RECENT SEASONS AND IS A KEY MAN FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY
WHO ARE CLUB BRUGGE?
Shandre Campbell has recently joined Club Brugge in Belgium, but he is not the first South African to play there. Who are the team known as the Blue-Black?
LOST ART
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE GREAT FREE-KICK TAKERS IN FOOTBALL?
BACK TO THE START
HAASHIM DOMINGO HAS A FRESH START AT CAPE TOWN CITY, WHERE HE COULD TAKE THE LEAGUE BY STORM, ACCORDING TO HIS NEW BOSS
FROM BADGERS TO BRISTOL
SOUTH AFRICA'S LOSS IS THE UK'S GAIN WITH DYNAMIC ROMANEY PINNOCK HAVING TAKEN CHARGE AS THE HEAD OF BRISTOL CITY WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
READY TO PLUNDER
SELAELO RASEBOTJA HAS ARRIVED AT ORLANDO PIRATES WITH BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
CITY OF GOLD
THE GAUTENG PROVINCE, MORE SPECIFICALLY JOHANNESBURG HAVE PRODUCED THE RICHEST RESERVOIR OF TOP FOOTBALLING TALENT FOR SOUTH AFRICA
LONG-TERM TARGET
KAIZER CHIEFS ENDED THEIR LONG PURSUIT OF DEFENDER RUSHWIN DORTLEY WHEN HE WAS SIGNED IN THE LAST TRANSFER WINDOW
REMEMBERING SENZO
THIS MONTH MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE ORLANDO PIRATES AND BAFANA BAFANA GOALKEEPER SENZO MEYIWA WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED
MIRACLE MAN
QUIET AND UNASSUMING, XABI ALONSO HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE TOP COACHES IN WORLD FOOTBALL