When Siyabonga Nomvethe began his career as a burgeoning 20-yearold striker at African Wanderers, soon to earn a move to Kaizer Chiefs, he had a fire in his eyes that burned as brightly as his speed of movement and thought on the pitch. Now, at the ripe old age of 39, the fire is far from extinguished from the veteran striker’s eyes, even though his pace has started to slow. KICK OFF’s Robin-Duke Madlala caught up with “Bhele”, who is still regularly banging in the goals in the National First Division.
Maybe it’s his divine gift, maybe it’s the near 30-kilometre jogs from Gateway Mall in Umhlanga to KwaMashu, or maybe it’s something none of us will understand, but Siyabonga Nomvethe has shown longevity in football that few after him will ever surpass.
Now turning it on for AmaZulu, the former Bafana Bafana striker has shown no signs of slowing down and had, by the time Usuthu beat Mbombela United 1-0 at Kwanyamazane Stadium on March 4, scored 13 league goals this season.
It put him third in the scoring charts behind Thanda Royal Zulu’s Mhlengi Cele, who had scored 15, and five behind Royal Eagles’ much talked about Sedwyn George.
The veteran is still showing extraordinary gallop and says he never imagined he would still be playing football at his age, but what was important for him was to remain disciplined.
His first objective in football was to play in Europe, something he achieved when he signed for Udinese from Chiefs in 2001.
“I never thought I’d still be playing football at this age. My main aim was to work hard and go to Europe and it happened – the rest has really been a bonus,” Nomvethe tells KICK OFF.
“For me to stay disciplined was something I was taught at home by my parents and I took that into my game. My parents wanted to see me succeed and they knew that staying disciplined would help my craft.
“But many people played a big role, especially coach Muhsin [Ertugral]. He had a massive impact on my career. When I was growing up as a young boy, I was not a fan of media attention. What was important was to focus on my career and the talent that God gave to me.
ãã®èšäºã¯ Kickoff ã® April 2017 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Kickoff ã® April 2017 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
The Best Of South Africa's Clasico
Kaizer Chiefs versus Orlando Pirates is one of footballâs great derby matches with a rich history, both good and bad, that has helped to create a sports event that is the biggest in South Africa. It is perhaps the only fixture that can bring the country to a stand-still and down the years there has been some epic fixtures. KICK OFFâs Mark Gleeson picks out 10 of the best.
âThere is more coming'
The arrival of German coach Josef Zinnbauer at Orlando Pirates has coincided with Gabadinho Mhango suddenly raising his performance. His seven goals in Zinnbauerâs first four matches have elevated him to double figures already with a loud shout in the top scorersâ award chase. As Malawiâs top export, Mhango knows he is representing many back home, and thus carries the desire to aim high. He spoke to KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo, revealing he believes there is more coming from him.
âI should have won 12 times'
Samuel Etoâo announced his retirement from professional football in 2019 and leaves behind a legacy that many consider sees him as the greatest African footballer of all time with 18 major titles won for club and country. KICK OFFâs Lorenz Kohler sat down with the four-time CAF African Player of the Year at the Duqesa de Cardona hotel in Barcelona before El Clasico to find out his role in the Castle Lager Africa Fives project and look back on an iconic career that started back in 1997.
The incredible coaching journey of Pitso Mosimane
If Mamelodi Sundowns go on and retain their Absa Premiership title at the end of the season, Pitso Mosimane will have won a fifth championship and become the most successful coach in the history of the sport in South Africa. Soweto-born Mosimane has an all-consuming passion for the game, starting in his playing career and now well into his mid-50s. His hunger for victory remains all too evident, even if the novelty of winning is now long past. With Sundowns he has won four of the last six league championships, and in so doing, matched the feats of four titles won by the likes of Jeff Butler, Ted Dumitru, Gordon Igesund and Gavin Hunt. But he has already gone one better than them by also winning the African Champions League â the Holy Grail on the continent. But how did Mosimane start out coaching, what fueled his passion and what was his journey to the top. It is a fascinating insight, told exclusively to KICK OFFâs Mark Gleeson.
Should He Stay Or Should He Go?
Three months after taking over Orlando Pirates, Rhulani Mokwena hasnât elevated the club to where the fans expected. This has naturally raised questions about whether it was premature to hand him the job. KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo investigates Mokwenaâs appointment, tenure and what could possibly be the way forward.
âWe Know How To Win The League'
Mamelodi Sundowns winger Lyle Lakay feels that there is no need to panic over the pace that Kaizer Chiefs have set in the Absa Premiership championship race, insisting that the Brazilians have the edge in terms of experience. KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo spoke to the 28-year-old, who spent most of his five years at Bloemfontein Celtic trying to get out of the club.
Chiefs' Missing Link
Kaizer Chiefsâ excellent start to the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League season has been a great team effort, but there is one man who stands out head and shoulders above the rest as the catalyst for their upturn in fortunes. Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic was a little-known journeyman forward before he arrived at Naturena at the beginning of the campaign, but has almost single-handedly improved the sideâs attacking fortunes. KICK OFFâs Nick Said investigates what makes Nurkovic such a quality addition and why he can fire Chiefs to the league title.
Mano A Mano In Combat With Mano-Mano
Helder “Mano-Mano” Muianga missed out on a dream move to the English Premier League, but says he still remains proud of his career, which he spent mostly in South Africa. Now he hopes his new project back home in Mozambique will help him emulate his mentor, Jomo Sono.
Silencing The Critics
Having joined as a relatively unknown striker, with no eye-popping history of his ability, Gustavo Paez has begun to settle in well at Kaizer Chiefs over the last six months, and is looking to help Amakhosi return to their glory days in the 2017/18 Premier Soccer League season. Everyone took a dig at his journeyman background and they expected to see another failed mercenary unpack their suitcase at Naturena. Oh, how wrong they were …
Jayiya Lives Childhood Dream
Bhongolwethu Jayiya was part of Cape Town City’s whirlwind debut season, contributing an outstanding hat-trick against Chippa United as the Citizens finished an impressive third on the Absa Premiership table. Now that he has made the incredible step up to the Glamour Boys, a life-long dream of his, the pressure to achieve has been turned up a few notches. Here he tells KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo about his journey to Naturena.
