Two years ago, the Siya crew sat down with Phillip Ndlondlo at the renaming ceremony of Marumo Gallants, and at the time, the youngster was making a name for himself in the professional ranks. Two years later, so much has changed for the pint-sized midfielder. Not only has he since scored himself a move to Orlando Pirates, where he has already won three trophies, but he also recently landed a sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Diadora. The Thokoza-born star has taken the road less traveled with this venture as he stands as the only active player to represent the brand. Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver was in attendance as he was announced as the ambassador, and caught up with the midfielder as he discusses how the deal came about, what it means to him, while revisiting a dark place that nearly saw him wave goodbye to the Beautiful Game.
Delmain Faver: Ndabayithethwa, thanks for speaking to us. Congratulations are in order as you have just been announced as the ambassador for Diadora. Safe to say it was a big surprise. How did it come about that you partnered with such an historical brand?
Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo: Firstly, it started with the relationship I have with Brighton (Mhlongo) and Oupa (Manyisa) because myself and those guys come a long way. Somewhere along the line, he (Mhlongo) hinted something to me about something that was coming and that I should always continue with the good work that I've been doing and one day I'm going to be rewarded for that. So, I think this announcement that was made was part of that. It came about that he also told me that they are working with Diadora and that they would like to have me as one of their ambassadors, and I was keen on it. So, that's how it came about.
DF: With this partnership, you are the only active player in South Africa being sponsored by the brand, so essentially, you are opening the door and forging a path that no one else has done. Does that put a bit of pressure on your shoulders, or do you see it as an opportunity for you to make your own mark with a different brand that maybe is not as familiar in our local market as it was in yesteryear?
NN: Obviously, pressure-wise, pressure is always there in everything that you do. So, I wouldn't say that it comes with pressure, but it's also an opportunity for the other guys that are also in the industry to also be recognised by this amazing sponsor, which is Diadora. So, it is an initiative that opens doors for the other guys. It is great work. I think it will help a lot of guys that are going to be recognised and brought to the Diadora family as well, so I think it's important.
DF: It speaks to your growth really after being signed by Orlando Pirates from Marumo Gallants. Now obviously with that big move comes the lifestyle part of it where brands want to associate themselves with the Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo brand. Just tell us a bit more about that growth because obviously it's been a long road. When you were at Gallants, you spoke about how you almost quit, but then you continued...
NN: I think the good work that you do on the field of play speaks volumes for one, whereby it takes you a long way in a sense that it opens doors for you. Even though it takes time, with us we have to be patient in a sense where you need to keep believing, keep working, keep doing everything that you do because the good work that you do will always follow you. So, I think all the hard work that I have been putting in has opened up this door for me to be the first player to be sponsored by Diadora and also, opening opportunities for the other guys. So, I think it's a great initiative for me and also an inspiration to the other guys.
DF: You mention being an inspiration to other guys. Well, so much is being said about your time in the amateur ranks where you really had to toil to get your name out there, even when at times it seemed impossible. Talk to us about the mental fortitude required to not only make it but also to succeed in professional football the way that you have...
NN: What I can say is that it takes so much for one to be where you are and you have this dream of becoming a well-established footballer. It comes with demands and a lot of sacrifices that you as a human being, as professional footballer and as an amateur have to make because that's how it starts. But the most important thing is patience, giving more, working hard and also being a player that is coachable, that is disciplined…and discipline is the most important part … and also the never-say-die attitude that you should have as a person. You go through a lot as a player to be able to achieve the dream that you want to achieve and you have a dream that you have always been dreaming about. So, it takes so much for one to reach that level.
DF: The biggest question one would have to ask is what was it that hurt you so badly in football that you even thought of quitting at some point?
NN: You know when you come across things in life that cut so deep whereby you end up not knowing what to do or maybe what to say or something… The only thing that comes to mind is you wanting to quit. But some people that want to destroy you will be the ones that will bring doubt to you and make you feel like you are not that quality player that you are. There are those people that maybe are creating a path for their own players or what. So, I think that was the same thing that I was experiencing when I was growing up playing in the amateurs, you know. I'll get that person that will say things that will hurt me, that will also be making me feel like… or not like I'm not that kinda player. But you find other people telling me that, "You are the best. You are the best in what you do." So, you are surprised why that person is saying those kind of things, but you get someone that will motivate you to such an extent that you keep going and keep going no matter what they say. There's going to be those kind of things that come in life whereby they become a distraction for you or they come to destroy you, but you need to overcome those things because there are challenges in life that you need to overcome. So, I think that was it.
DF: Who is the one person or people who you turn to in such moments because for some, suffering from these kind of things could be seen as a weakness, particularly in professional football?
NN: My family! They play a huge role in me dealing with difficult times when I go through something. There's also Brighton and Oupa. Sometimes you feel like eish, you need someone that you can talk to, that understands what you are going through, who has been in the same shoes that you are in. Those are the guys that helped me a lot to become better and to feel better.
DF: Do you think that when you get to a big club, there's almost a bit of pressure to prove why you were signed in the first place? In the beginning of your Bucs career, the fans got on your back quite a bit because you were doing more than what you were used to and it almost comes across as being sloppy in possession, and that "he's doing things that he didn't previously do". Do you think there's that pressure to, kind of, show that you are at the Soweto giants for a reason?
NN: Just like I mentioned to you earlier, that pressure is always there in everything that you do. It's about how you deal with that pressure as a human being and as a player. But with the support that you get from your teammates, from the technical team, from everyone around you, it helps you deal with the pressure that you get from outside the field of play and stuff like that so that you can do what you know best. It wasn't by fluke whereby I got scouted by Orlando Pirates and brought into the team because of the good work that I've been doing and nothing is going to change overnight because of some people that think whatever that they think. Some people do believe in what I do, and I also believe in what I do. So, the support that I get from them, I appreciate it and they help me to become a better person and learn from that so that I can be able to become a better player.
DF: So when you do get to a big club like Pirates, there's almost a constant spotlight on you, not only on the field but off of it. There's all of the attention that you get as an individual. How do you deal with that?
NN: What I can say is discipline is the one that defines all of it because you know in the industry that you are in, also the team that I'm playing for, everything that you do is being watched by millions of people. So, the way that you behave yourself, the way that you present yourself and the way that you behave when you are around people, even if it's off the field, determines what kind of person you are. But it starts with you as a person before you become a player and stuff like that. So, I think discipline goes a long way and also professionalism, how you treat yourself as a person, takes you a long way whereby you'll never be caught or found doing things that you are not supposed to do.
DF: Now that you're at the Houghton-based outfit, you've won a trophy already this season, but there is the element of the league title that continues to evade the club with Mamelodi Sundowns hogging that space for the better part of the last decade. What is it that you aspire to achieve with the club and how do you go about doing it?
NN: My ambition is to win the league and reclaim the glory… also, winning and competing in continental football. We need to start by beating them and beating the rest of the teams in the league so that we can be able to be where we want to be, because we have shown in the past what kind of team we are as Orlando Pirates.
NDABAYITHETHWA NDLONDLO FACT FILE
Full name: Ndabayithethwa Phillip Ndlondlo
Date of birth: 28 May 1995
Place of birth: Thokoza, Gauteng
Position: Midfielder
Jersey number: 15
Club: Orlando Pirates
Previous clubs: Izinyoka FC (amateur) AmaZulu FC, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, Marumo Gallants
Honours: 2020/21 Nedbank Cup winner, 2021/22 Nedbank Cup runner-up (both with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila), 2022/23 Nedbank Cup winner, 2022 MTN8 winner, 2023 MTN8 winner (all with Pirates)
