Retired footballer Sandile Ndlovu feels the best years of his career were spent at Mamelodi Sundowns, but is still baffled by the way he had to leave the club.
Soccer Laduma got in touch with the player who was known as AK-47 to talk about the time he spent with the Tshwane giants.
The years
I joined Sundowns in 2003/04 and then in 2004/05, I went on loan to Dynamos. In 2005/06, I went back to Sundowns and then in 2006/07, I left Sundowns on loan to Maritzburg United. My time at Sundowns was good. We were a family. When I joined Sundowns, Peter Koutroulis was the team manager and the Tsichlas family was still owning the club. Then Patrice Motsepe came in the first season that I was there and I think they were still negotiating for him to be the sole owner. The reception I got at Sundowns was great. I was from KZN and the staff loved me. Even the coaches loved me. The coach was Oscar Fullone. I remember I used to sit and just talk with the coach. When the team was training and running, I would sit with the coach and he would tell me about his experiences and so on. And then when we started playing a game or a small-sided game, I would go join them. Sometimes the guys were not happy about that and they would say 'Sandile is not training'. But it was fun.
How the move happened
I was playing for Sobantu FC here in Maritzburg. We were playing in the play-offs to win promotion to the Vodacom League. I scored a lot of goals and I was the top goalscorer and player of the tournament. A lot of teams were calling me, including teams I had previously had trials with. Peter Koutroulis called me and told me that they got me a ticket for a flight the following day. Pirates sad I should wait for Irvin Khoza. But the Sundowns guys booked a ticket. They did not talk. They acted. I took a flight, trained for two days and they said I should go to the office (to sign).
The make up of the team
I respected the guys there. When I got there, there were guys like Isaac Shai, Sipho Nunens, Daniel Mudau, Ishmael Maluleke and Simba Marumo, all those experienced guys. Charles Mohlohi was also there. But I spent time with guys who were around my age, like Paulus Masehe, Joseph Mthombeni and Prince Zulu. I had a good time there. I stayed at the airport hotel for six months because they were still looking for a comfortable place for me. I usually made the team, until Paul Dolezar came. He wanted results, so he loaned me out to Dynamos. When I came back from Dynamos, I was a household name and I had the nickname AK-47 and everything was good and there was a lot of expectations because I was scoring goals at Dynamos. We won the league when I got back. When I got back, there were players like Jabulani Mendu, (Manqoba) Shakes Ngwenya, Godfrey Sapula, Brian Baloyi and Peter Ndlovu was also there. We had Surprise Moriri and Benson Mhlongo. They are like my brothers. We used to get bonuses. If we won on Saturday or Sunday, we would get our bonus on Monday. There were no delays of payments. Guys like Peter Ndlovu would take us out as youngsters for lunch. So, it was a family and it felt like home. The way they take care of you at Sundowns is good, but obviously you have to deliver while you are there. Sundowns made Sandile Ndlovu. I love Sundowns and I will end up coaching at Sundowns.
My first day at Sundowns
I had taken the 12h00 flight to Johannesburg and they picked me up from the airport. They asked me if I want to train because training was in the afternoon. So, I said 'yes, I want to train' because I was eager. I could not say no. I wanted to train. I trained the first day with trialists and then on the second day, I trained with the first team. I made a few moves and then the coach (Oscar Fullone) said 'stop, go to the office'. That was it.
My debut
It was against Manning Rangers in Mabopane (Odi Stadium). I came on as a substitute and I remember Steve Komphela was the coach of Rangers. I remember he once said I was troubling his defenders. There was a powerful shot that I took and they thought it was a goal.
Best player I played with at Sundowns
We were all the best players at Sundowns, but the two who stood out for me are Surprise Moriri and Shakes Ngwenya. They were exceptional.
Most memorable moment
My best memory was taking a picture with the president (Motsepe) after winning the league. It was a beautiful thing. We were playing in Mabopane. You could see that the president was happy for me. He is a good person.
Lowest moment
The lowest moment was when Neil Tovey and Gamondi loaned me to Maritzburg. I could not understand it. I was top goalscorer at Sundowns, but they loaned me out. I had pre-season with Sundowns and everything was good. Before the deadline of the transfer window, they called me to go to the PSL offices because I have to go to Maritzburg. It came out of nowhere. I was fine with it because Maritzburg was home, but I did not understand it because the coaches did not even explain it to me. I was very disappointed. I did not go back to Sundowns after that. I joined Swallows after leaving Maritzburg and I started scoring goals again. But I had a good time at Sundowns.
