Sameehg Doutie's move to Indian Super League side, Atletico de Kolkata, raised a few eyebrows, after he decided to move to a league that is not as popular others in Europe. Today, I take a look at South African players who have plied their trade in less fancied leagues.
India is not known to be a footballing nation, despite the Asian country having tried to uplift the standard of their football by pumping in more money into the sport and luring stars such as Nicolas Anelka to their shores. But there is definitely something there that has attracted players, including Doutie.
Here are a few players that have played in lesser-known leagues…
Jerry Sikhosana
Affectionately known as the 'Legs of Thunder' in football circles, Sikhosana was a goal poacher for Orlando Pirates in the 90s. In 1999, the Tembisa- born striker made a move to China - a country that is certainly not a powerhouse in the world of football. His stay, however, was short lived, as he spent just two months at Yunnan Hongta - owing to a signing-on fee dispute.
Dumisa Ngobe
He was a former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana midfielder who enjoyed an illustrious career. However, towards the latter stages of his career, he seemed to have lost his touch and settled for the less fancied Malaysian league, where he turned out for Sabah FC.
Sandile Zuke
The Durban-born player cut his teeth at Kaizer Chiefs but left the Naturena-based outfit due to limited game time. Zuke then played for MP Black Aces before making a shocking move to Thailand, where he turned out for Osotspa.
Philani Khubheka
A left-back with an educated left foot, Khubheka played for Orlando Pirates in the early 2000s before joining Vietnamese outfit, Binh Duong Football Club. For a player with so much potential, not many expected him to play his football in a less fancied league. One wonders if he could have achieved more had he stayed in the PSL…
Mason October
African countries see the PSL as a stepping-stone to Europe, so it's very unusual for a South African player to go in the opposite direction. However, Mason October, a former Santos player, joined Hearts of Oak in Ghana. The youngster is enjoying a rich vein of form in Ghana, as reported by the Soccer Laduma website.
A few local players who have also played in Botswana include the likes of Benedict "Tso" Vilakazi and Manqoba Ngwenya.
Will Sameehg Doutie grow his potential in India?
