With AmaZulu FC president Sandile Zungu's announcement of Celimpilo Ngema's acquisition some three weeks ago, the cat was finally let out of the bag! The 25-year-old was one of the key performers for Marumo Gallants last season, amassing a whopping 39 appearances in all competitions, even if his efforts and those of his teammates weren't enough to save the Limpopo outfit from the dreaded axe. In the pint-sized midfield man, Usuthu are getting a highly-rated player who could go on to become the heartbeat of the team with his ability to spray passes and chip in with goals. But questions remain about the 2022/23 season at Bahlabane Ba Ntwa. What contributed to the club's relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship? What could chairman Abram Sello have done better? What was the real story behind the strike for bonuses? In this frank interview with Soccer Laduma's Masebe Qina, the Melmoth-born star reveals it all, including what led the players to 'stop caring'.
Masebe Qina: To get this interview underway, how did you feel about Marumo Gallants' relegation at the end of the season?
Celimpilo Ngema: We didn't have a good start to the season and that was due to a number of factors. Right from the beginning, after we lost our coach, in Dan (Malesela), from the previous season, we got a new coach (Romain Folz) and things didn't go well for the team under him. Coach Dan returned and, although we tried our level best, things didn't work out until he was replaced by another new coach, in Dylan Kerr. Coach Dylan tried his best too and we managed to pick up some points along the way under his tenure and we made some progress in the CAF Confederation Cup. He restored some hope for us, but the fact that the team was relegated at the end of the season meant that we had a bad season in the eyes of many people.
MQ: How did you manage to accept the reality that the team would be playing in the second tier?
CN: We were all so disappointed as the players. Maybe to say we were disappointed would be an understatement…we were very hurt. We were seeing some progress in how we played and our confidence grew as we moved along with the season, and we thought that we would avoid relegation. We never thought we would end up where we ended. We had so many draws and that was the downfall of the team. That's what hurt us the most – the highest number of draws we played. In most of those draws, we failed to manage the game in the best way we should have. For example, we would score first and lead for a certain period, only to end up drawing or losing the game.
MQ: When did you start sensing the danger?
CN: There was a stage when we were below 20 points when most of the teams were above that and that's when we started to press the panic buttons and sensed danger. We could see that something wasn't right in how we were progressing. We kept on pushing to try and move up the log and we managed to catch up with some of the teams that were down there on the standings, but we were playing too many games in a short period of time due to our commitments in CAF and leyonto is'khawathile. Iskhathi besisncane (that killed us. There wasn't too much time), and there was a lot of travelling involved.
MQ: We can imagine.
CN: What made things even worse for us was that we ended up being the ones travelling even for our home games. We would travel to Bloemfontein and even to North West for some games. It was hectic. A lot of travelling and playing in a short space of time… it wasn't easy. It was difficult even for the coaches to rotate the players and the whole experience was strenuous. That's what killed us.
MQ: So, you blame the management's timing in moving those games?
CN: Kube nawo umthelela (That did play a role) because it's not like the games were moved to one venue only… like, let's say in Bloemfontein only. We played some of the games in Rustenburg as well and you can imagine the travelling that was involved there. It had an effect on us getting relegated. It's not like I am making excuses, but you can also think about it – you are playing at home but you still travel long distances to other parts of the country, while there is also travelling in-between, to different parts of the continent for CAF games.
MQ: Did you try to raise the issue with the club's hierarchy?
CN: We spoke about it among ourselves as players because at the end of the day, the chairman would have told us that it was for the good of the club. For example, we would have told the manager that travelling was killing us, but that wouldn't have changed anything in how the chairman decided on us playing those games where we played them. When we were told to play those games in Bloem, we had to play them there irrespective of any concerns we had, if you understand what I say.
MQ: Did playing in Africa affect you in the league?
CN: I don't think playing in Africa affected us in any way in the league. Instead, I can say it motivated us in a way. As we were not winning consecutively in the league, we were doing well in CAF and that pushed us to do even better and it motivated us. Winning in CAF kept giving us hope that we could do the same in the league, although in the end we came up short of what we wanted to achieve, which was to survive relegation. So, I wouldn't agree with anyone who suggests that playing in Africa affected us in the league. It was a confidence booster until the issue of bonuses came up and kwamosheka yonk' into (everything was jeopardised).
MQ: Elaborate.
CN: We were winning games in CAF and making money for the club, but we weren't hearing anything from the chairman. We ended up having to ask the chairman what was going on. Things got worse as the players engaged in (a) strike and missed training sessions. Everyone's focus shifted from the playing field as money matters took centre stage. Imagine, at that time we still had important games to play, but the focus of the players was not there. Imosheke lapho yonk' into (That's where things got messed up). The chairman is also to blame as he refused to meet amajita (the guys) halfway. He took all the money received from CAF for himself and didn't give a cent to the players. We got booted out of CAF and lost in the league because the focus wasn't there. I don't want to beat around the bush about it, the guys lost concentration because of the issues to do with bonuses.
MQ: Did you engage the chairman to ask what the plan was regarding the bonuses?
CN: By engaging in a strike, it was our way of forcing him to act because we were showing him how serious we were about our promised bonuses. Eventually, he came to address the players about the matter, although the guys were not satisfied with the things he said.
MQ: How so?
CN: I am talking about the percentage of money each player would receive. We were not satisfied with what he was promising. Instead of the problem being solved, things got worse because the guys just didn't care after the unconvincing address from the chairman. People started looking for opportunities and made plans on where they would be going for next season. Abantu abasenandaba, kwavele kwamosheka (People just didn't care, and things got worse). Because of our impressive CAF run, some of the guys were already getting offers from elsewhere and that's where the focus was – people banking on that to secure them jobs for next season.
MQ: And you are one of the players leaving, having already been confirmed as a new signing for AmaZulu FC by club president Sandile Zungu.
CN: Mine was completed a long time ago, before we returned for the second round of the season after the World Cup. I signed a pre-contract with the club then.
MQ: Did you remain committed to Gallants and perform as required afterwards?
CN: That made me to play with even more commitment and freedom. I think I played better than before and it didn't affect me in any way.
MQ: You made 27 appearances and scored three goals, while you also assisted on three occasions in the league. Were you satisfied with those numbers?
CN: Ngingasho ukuthi ngokwama (I would say in terms of the) games, ngiyakujabulela (I am happy) that I played so many, but I feel the need to improve on scoring and assisting. I think I am capable of improving in those aspects of my game and that is the plan for me going forward.
MQ: Are you promising more goals at Usuthu then?
CN: That's the aim, and I think I can do it. I am aiming for that going into the new season.
MQ: Mpilo, let's leave it there then. We wish you a successful season down in Durban.
CN: Thank you.
CELIMPILO NGEMA FACT FILE
Date of birth: 12 September 1997
Place of birth: Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal
Nickname: Mpilo
Position: Midfielder
Jersey number: ???
Club: AmaZulu FC
Previous clubs: Thubalethu FC (amateur), Uthongathi FC, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, Marumo Gallants
Honours: 2020/21 Nedbank Cup winner (with TTM), 2021/22 Nedbank Cup runner- up (with Gallants)
