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However, Jele, who made his debut for the Sea Robbers in 2006 after he was recruited from amateur club Walter Stars, has revealed that he almost left the club in 2010 after a two-month trial with French outfit RC Lens, who were just promoted to the top flight at the time.
"I had to go to France for trials (in) 2010, it went well but obviously I didn't get a chance to go back," Jele said on Marawa Sports Worldwide.
"Lens, on the first league. I've played there, I stayed for almost two months, so it was great but obviously it didn't work out.
"You know, I had to come back to Orlando Pirates. The paperwork... The deal didn't happen," he said.
The one-club man went on to reveal that his trial with Lens made him realize how important it is to take care of the body outside of the club's parameters, something that has helped him prolong his career.
"I was not (disappointed) because it was an experience for me, it's a good experience, I had to learn more about football," he went on.
"How European countries do, after that I didn't look back because I wanted to go overseas again, to play there. Because it was tempting, to say almost.
"I've tasted the cake, I wanted to (go) back, so I was trying to work more harder, that's why I had to take care of my body from there," he said.
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Jele, who was a consistent performer at Pirates over the years, did not have answers to why he didn't eventually get his break to move abroad, but says that he was grateful to have played for the Buccaneers for four years short of two decades.
"It didn't work out afterwards, so I had to focus on my team, which was Orlando Pirates. The chairman (Irvin Khoza) said to me, 'If anything comes you'll get a chance to go' by that time," he carried on.
"So I was working very hard by that time so other teams can get me but at the end of the day it didn't happen.
"I think it was God's plan to stick with Orlando Pirates for such a long time. Look, I've spent 16 years and I was happy," he added.
Jele is yet to find a club since his departure from Pirates.
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