PATIENCE GAME
Soccer Club|August 2023
THE JOURNEY TO PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IS ABOUT HARD WORK, LUCK AND CIRCUMSTANCE, AS PROVEN BY ORLANDO PIRATES SKIPPER INNOCENT MAELA.
Mazola Molefe
PATIENCE GAME

Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela could have been at rival club Kaizer Chiefs or maybe joined the famous Stars of Africa academy headed by Farouk Khan had it not been for Thabo Senong.

And the former Bafana Bafana assistant coach claims he almost immediately knew the defender would become a national asset.

"I saw him at an under-19 schools tournament. What caught my attention was his speed and his ability to cross. At the time, he was playing as a left winger. Farouk Khan wanted him for his academy and Doctor Khumalo was there as the Chiefs under-17 coach as well, and tried to bring him into their programme", Senong reveals.

"I was obviously competing with those two programmes because I was working as a youth coach and scout for Pirates. I watched him twice at the school and then when I followed him to a social game. The way he adapted was impressive because the emerging talent in Witbank played against more established counterparts like Innocent Mdledle in the township."

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.

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.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE SOCCER CLUBVer todo
WORLD BEATER
Soccer Club

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

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 2024
WHO ARE CLUB BRUGGE?
Soccer Club

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?

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 2024
LOST ART
Soccer Club

LOST ART

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE GREAT FREE-KICK TAKERS IN FOOTBALL?

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 2024
BACK TO THE START
Soccer Club

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

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 2024
FROM BADGERS TO BRISTOL
Soccer Club

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

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 2024
READY TO PLUNDER
Soccer Club

READY TO PLUNDER

SELAELO RASEBOTJA HAS ARRIVED AT ORLANDO PIRATES WITH BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 2024
CITY OF GOLD
Soccer Club

CITY OF GOLD

THE GAUTENG PROVINCE, MORE SPECIFICALLY JOHANNESBURG HAVE PRODUCED THE RICHEST RESERVOIR OF TOP FOOTBALLING TALENT FOR SOUTH AFRICA

time-read
4 minutos  |
October 2024
LONG-TERM TARGET
Soccer Club

LONG-TERM TARGET

KAIZER CHIEFS ENDED THEIR LONG PURSUIT OF DEFENDER RUSHWIN DORTLEY WHEN HE WAS SIGNED IN THE LAST TRANSFER WINDOW

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 2024
REMEMBERING SENZO
Soccer Club

REMEMBERING SENZO

THIS MONTH MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE ORLANDO PIRATES AND BAFANA BAFANA GOALKEEPER SENZO MEYIWA WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED

time-read
4 minutos  |
October 2024
MIRACLE MAN
Soccer Club

MIRACLE MAN

QUIET AND UNASSUMING, XABI ALONSO HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE TOP COACHES IN WORLD FOOTBALL

time-read
4 minutos  |
October 2024