Not many speak about Clinton Larsen's time at Orlando Pirates after he joined them from Manning Rangers, but it was quite a successful period with trophies to look back at.
Soccer Laduma got hold of Larsen to talk about the years he spent with the Buccaneers, which saw him sharing a dressing room with top names such as Thabo Mngomeni, William Okpara, Pollen Ndlanya and the late Dennis Lota.
The years
I was there from 1999 to 2001. I was there for two-years-and-a-bit. I went to Pirates from Manning Rangers, but I did not go alone. I went with Innocent Chikoya and at the same time, two players moved from AmaZulu. It was Warren Lewis and Kamaal Sait, so four players moved from KZN to Pirates. I clearly remember the four of us meeting with the late Lawrence Ngubane (former Pirates team manager) and it didn't take long for us to sort out our contracts. Next thing we were in Joburg playing for Pirates. It was a big moment for all four of us.
How the move happened
I was approached by the late Lawrence Ngubane and then I gave him my agent's details, Mike Makaab. Then Mike phoned me and we spoke about it, because there was interest in me moving up to one of the Gauteng teams long before 1999. After winning the league with Rangers in 1996/97, there were talks but I did not feel I was ready at the time. I stayed loyal to Manning Rangers. But by the time 1999 came around, I felt that I had some national team call-ups, I was a regular and I had won a league title. So, I felt that the time was right for me to step out of my comfort zone and take on the challenge.
Who was in the team
That team was filled with so much quality, from front to back. We had William Okpara in goal, we had the likes of Gerald Rapahlela, Guy Roger Nzeng, Willem Jackson. In midfield, we had Thabo Mngomeni, Josep Ngake, Steve Lekoelea and the young (Benedict) Tso Vilakazi was still coming from the development, with Joseph Makhanya. They had just started training with the first team. We had amazing strikers, like Andries Sebola, the late Dennis Lota and Pollen Ndlanya. It was a star-studded team. When we got there, we were really welcomed by the team and there was a great team spirit.
My first day at Pirates
I remember arriving at training and I was nervous. It was the first time I was out of my KZN comfort zone, not knowing what to expect. What made it easier was that the four of us knew each other from KZN and I also knew Brandon Silent because we played together for the same South African high school team. So, I knew him and I got on well with him. Okpara was also an amazing person because he would make any player feel settled when they arrived. I was nervous on the first day, but once you kick that ball, those butterflies go away immediately.
My debut
I am not sure, but I think it was against (Jomo) Cosmos. I am not 100 percent sure. I am not one to look back at my history books and all that.
The best player I played with at Pirates
There were so many good players. If I had to single out one player in particular, it would be Thabo Mngomeni. When I talk about this player, I talk about his influence on the team and the way the team played. He was on top of his game at the time and everything in the team went through him. He was the best player I played with in that team because of his influence. He became a fan favourite. When Thabo was on song, the team was difficult to beat. He was a very important player at the time.
Most memorable moments
It would be the first trophy outside of KZN. We won the Iwisa Spectacular. That was a big moment. Then we won the Vodacom Challenge and then the BP Top8 with Gordon Igesund. These were all big moments, as well as the league title with Pirates. So, there were big moments. As a young boy, my dream of playing for one of the big Soweto teams came true. So, the day I signed on the dotted line was the biggest moment in my career.
Lowest moment
In the beginning of my third season, I picked up an ankle injury. I was out for a long time with a fractured ankle and I was quite consistent in the team before that. I had played under all the coaches that were there, under Ted Dumitru, Viktor Bondarenko, Ronald Mkandawire and Gordon Igesund. They all played me, but once I got my injury, the club had signed quite a lot of players and then it became difficult to break back into the team and I went to Manning Rangers. Had that injury not occurred, I feel that I would have stayed there much longer.
