As tributes continue to pour for late football legend Bernard Hartze, his former teammate Smiley Moosa has shared fond memories about the departed star.
Hartze passed away on Tuesday after losing his battle with illness. The Dancing Shoes, as Hartze was fondly known, was 73 at the time of his death.
He was born in Marabastad in 1950 but relocated to Eersterust in 1975 and was regarded as one of the greatest footballers of his time.
During his illustrious career which started in the 1960s, Hartze played as a midfielder for Orlando Pirates, Cape Town Spurs and Sundowns, among other clubs.
Hartze's international career took him to the United States where he played for Tampa Bay Rowdies FC and Tacoma Tides, among other clubs.
In one of the memorable Soweto derbies, Hartze scored two goals for Pirates as they defeated Kaizer Chiefs 6-4 in the 1970 Rogue Beer Cup third place play-off.
At the time, Chiefs had star players such as the late Pule 'Ace' Ntsoelengoe who netted two goals on the day, as well as the likes of Petros Nzimande, Jacob 'Asinamali' Masike and Petros 'Ten-Ten' Nzimande.
Here's to you, Mr Moosa!
The Good
"I can write a book about Bernard 'Dancing Shoes' Hartze and what a masterful player he was and he played for Sundowns and Pirates in those days. He also played for Cape Town Spurs and was at one stage in England at Leeds United (on trial). He also played in the United States for Tampa Bay Rowdies. Bernard Hartze and Ingle Singh made me a superstar. I was always next to Bernard, and we looked alike. We played the same kind of football, and he was the best player I ever played with. My father loved him, and so did I. Me and Bernard were the only two players from Marabastad who did well among the best players in South Africa in those days. I remember in one of the games, we beat Kilmarnock (from Scotland) 3-1 and I scored two goals and Bernard scored the other from the penalty spot. He was a truly great player and his brilliance rubbed off on me. Eish how I miss those days playing with him and Ingle, and I am asking Soccer Laduma to let people know about our hero, Bernard Hartze," said Moosa.
The Bad
"Why is there nothing about Bernard on TV? It's very sad because if it was any other football legend, it would have been on top of the news. We would never hear the end of it," he said.
The Ugly
"My heart is broken that Bernard Hartze has passed away. I am devastated and it is very sad. It was Ingle (Singh, who passed away) just recently and now Bernard and that means my two heroes have both departed. May their souls rest in peace," he added.
"Those words brought tears to my eyes"
"By the way, as a youngster I spent hours training with Bernard and learning from him. He was God's gift to me, and I could not have asked for a better role model. When he left Sundowns to play elsewhere, I was very sad. Yes, I took his place in the team, but it was a lot to ask for a 16-year-old schoolboy. Those were big shoes to fill. He was a master of his craft, but he returned and together we destroyed the best teams that were around at the time. He was the best player I ever played with, and he took me to the highest of the highest football heights. His last words to me were, 'My laaitie (young man), you were better than me. Your father Issy Moosa taught me how to be a great player, and you were the best player around. You proved it and today that you can still outsmart them in the PSL.' Those words brought tears to my eyes, and he was far better than me. We spent hours talking on the phone and he taught me how to drive. Rest in peace, my hero. I will never forget you, and I feel so sad right now," concluded Moosa.
