Thank You For The Memories, Manyama!
I was touched by Lebogang Manyama's interview and the manner he handled the whole issue of his premature retirement that was triggered by medical negligence. To be frank, Manyama is handling the whole issue like a professional. The guy won my respect both on and off the field. And above being a football player, the lad's discipline and commitment over 12 years must be appreciated and I can't remember even one instance when issues of bad behaviour arose on his part. Yes, it is heartbreaking for him to leave the profession he loved so much in this manner because he is only 32 years old and one can argue that he still had four good years in his legs. Let me just appreciate him. The fact that he still appreciates his former coaches who made him is evidence of his humility as a person and I know he will come out strong from this disappointment. You did your part on the field of play, Lebo, and I know the universe rewards respect and commitment. All the best with your new venture in life and enjoy with your three-month-old child and the rest of your family. I won't forget the goal you scored in the Soweto Derby against my team Orlando Pirates. It was painful to witness that. However, as you articulated in the interview, it was not personal against opposition teams or fans, you were just doing your job.
Thapelo Masiapata, Ramaroka village, Bolobedu
The interview with Lebogang Manyama was so emotional and I'm sad his career ended unexpectedly. I thought he was going to come back from his setback, but his injury decided otherwise and there is nothing he could do about it. He must follow the doctor's orders in order to live better. I really shed a tear reading that interview. But what makes me happy is that he has accepted it like a man and is moving forward. On another note, I agree with coach Pitso Mosimane's idea. If all schools can employ former footballers at schools, even at primary school level, our kids can learn the basics earlier for the sake of our country's football growth. Phambili with Pitso's idea phambili!
Nyambeni Samson Khuphani, Tshiawelo Ext 5
We all know that a football career will end someday, but being forced to retire should be terrible news to accept. I believe Lebogang Manyama still had a lot to offer the football fraternity, but an injury had other ideas. You could feel the young man's pain in his interview with Vuyani Joni in issue 1331 of Soccer Laduma. Having to go for so many medical opinions showed that he wasn't ready to go down without a fight. To play through the pain to help the team really showed that Kaizer Chiefs did not make a mistake in signing him, though that decision contributed to his early retirement. He didn't want to cheat the custodians of football, which is the supporters, as he knew he wouldn't have given 100% had he continued playing, and I respect him for that. Having said that, as a Chiefs supporter, I would like to thank him for the passion and dedication he gave to the team and wish him all the best in his future off the field.
Malesela "Dance" Boya, Kanana, Hammanskraal
Doc's SAFA Diagnosis Spot On
Doctor Khumalo's column in Soccer Laduma edition 1331, titled, "Who do you think you are?", refers. No doubt this was aimed at someone responding to the name of Monde Montshiwa, believed to be one of the SAFA NEC members. If SAFA still values its own credibility, they need to haul Montshiwa before the coals because what he did was a display of poor leadership style typical of a mampara public servant. In his utterances, also published as an inset in Khumalo's article, Monde indirectly also compromised the profiles of three of the most respected club football brands in the country, namely Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns. How comical! Those teams deserve a public apology because their brands have nothing to do with the embarrassing SAFA fiasco that hurt many a heart with regards to the shabby treatment meted against Banyana Banyana. No doubt the same know-all Montshiwa, in an attempt to execute mean tackles against Mdokis, again showed a disregard to one of the SAFA structures, the media division, which could have been assigned to perhaps attend to whatever they would have picked against Mdokis if need be. He, nevertheless, elevated his obscure status and grabbed public attention instead. Ag, man, hopefully we've heard the last about this mampara.
Molefi Mika, via email
I'm one person who hates politics with a passion, which explains why I don't even like to comment on football politics. In the same breath, I'm also one individual who does not like to see controversy, but our football is controversial – let us admit as much. When SAFA came with their Vision 2022, I deemed that as nonsense and when Dr Danny Jordaan retained his seat as the association's president, I raised my concerns because I believed that we needed a change in leadership in order for our football to have a change of direction. When Banyana Banyana played Botswana recently, we all know and saw what happened that particular afternoon. But my question is what is really wrong about Doctor Khumalo stating well-known facts about SAFA? What is wrong with Mntungwa criticizing SAFA when they have failed us as a nation? Does SAFA expect our football legends to nurse the mother body's feelings? Why did SAFA NEC member Monde Montshiwa criticise Doctor in public if he felt Mntungwa had been harsh in his criticism of SAFA? We even heard Banyana legend, Portia Modise, saying enough is enough with SAFA not taking care of their needs as players, in the Soccer Laduma revolving column. SAFA is wrong and every member of the NEC should hang their heads in shame in moments like these. The less said about Mr Abel Makhubele's interview, the better. How does he really think he will win the World Cup as a coach when he is currently not coaching even an ABC Motsepe League team? Listen here, Sir, dreaming is good, but some dreams are just wild fantasies, to say the least.
Kwazikwakhe Ngcobo, via email
The animosity between Doctor Khumalo and Monde Montshiwa regarding the SAFA circus was not supposed to come to Soccer Laduma. This paper is not a gossip blog and Doctor Khumalo did not have a right to come to Soccer Laduma to call Monde into order. Facebook posts now come to our beloved Soccer Laduma? Why does Doctor not use the same social media to address Monde? His altercation with Monde has nothing to do with us. We have been buying this paper for decades and we don't deserve "shwashwi" on these pages. Doctor must not use this platform to solve his personal issues with SAFA NEC members. Will Soccer Laduma offer Monde a right of reply? Why did you allow Doctor to write that article? How does Doctor deal with Monde by also disrespecting him on these pages? I hope Soccer Laduma does not entertain this and let Doctor deal with his personal issues without involving his employer, which is Soccer Laduma.
Peter wa ga Makwela, Klipgat
It was sad to witness the heated argument between Monde Montshiwa, who happens to be a SAFA National Executive Committee member, and Doctor Khumalo. I think Khumalo, like any citizen, is allowed to voice his displeasure about the manner the powers that be are handling the direction of our football at large. The response by Monde was arrogance and belittling at best, because he thinks by virtue of being a National Executive Committee member, the only people who can question the direction or lack of it are his members who sit at the same table with him. To add salt to injury, he even became personal to Doctor Khumalo, asking why Kaizer Chiefs are not employing him within their ranks. Whether Chiefs employ him or not is immaterial here, the issue at hand is that our soccer is in bad shape and in bad hands, and on that basis, heads must roll and the entire management must do the right thing once and for all. If people like Doctor Khumalo are silenced, what about people like us who don't hold iconic status in the country? Indeed, when a fish start to rot, it starts from the head, this heated argument clearly demonstrates that. Unfortunately, when people fail to master easy stuff like sorting logistics to a World Cup in advance, one wonders what they are doing at SAFA in the firsti nstance.
Thapelo Masiapata, Ramaroka village, Bolobedu
Breath Of Fresh Air At Naturena
A lot is happening at Naturena with all the new signings and that has created a bit of hype amongst the Kaizer Chiefs fans. My only prayer is for all the new signings to adapt quickly and not be pressurised by our ongoing eight-year drought. We have signed many players before, but they failed to perform. We just want to smile again like other teams.
Amos "Tiger" Tshukudu, Ga-Maria
Lesedi Kapinga, Thabo Cele and Haashim Domingo are some of the names I feel Kaizer Chiefs should have signed. Ibraheem Jabaar is also one of those rare talents in the mould of Tinashe Nengomasha and Willard Katsande. That deep-lying position is vacant. I don't know what it is about Chiefs not to want a certain player, only to go for them later when they are already older and not as effective as they used to be. They were interested in Edson Castillo before, a few seasons back. Is he still the same player he was before? I would have preferred Fabrice Ngoma over Castillo. We had Lebogang Manyama via SuperSport United, via Turkey when they could have gotten him when he was red-hot. Are they going to hesitate until Cele is 30 with less resale value? The Chiefs-Khama Billiat chapter was just never meant to be and I wouldn't blame them if they release him. Katlego Otladisa would have been a cheaper ideal like-for-like replacement, for me. Alternatively, Kapinga would also be a good fit for the void Billiat is leaving. Hopefully things work out for us this season.
Lucky Khunou, Meriting
I really like the way the Motaung family run their team. It makes me smile all the time when I read views about them on MAKE YOUR POINT. They fired Gavin Hunt instead of buying him the players that he wanted. They hired Stuart Baxter and gave him players, and he failed with his players. Hunt was better than Baxter because he took Chiefs from the preliminary games of the CAF Champions League to the semi-finals. We don't know what would have happened had he not been fired. Now I'm waiting for Molefi Ntseki to start his job so I can compare him to Arthur Zwane as the latter already failed the club by not qualifying even for the CAF Confederation Cup. But guess what? He's still there!
Thulani Waya, via email
Not long from now, everyone will see what all the teams were busy with during off-season. New signings, preparations and, most of all, commitment to the game itself. Kaizer Chiefs have made some promising acquisitions and it's up to the coach now. I'm very sceptical, but let's wait and see what happens when the season commences. Molefi Ntseki has been there since 2021, although wearing a different cap, but the goings-on were of the same cause. If he had spotted that something was amiss, surely he would have alerted Arthur Zwane of something to that effect, but life just carried on and the wheels kept coming off one by one. So, Mr Ntseki, please surprise us. Another worrying factor is the influx of youngsters from development. The first team has redundant candidates from same already and we hear of six more getting promoted. What's going on, coach? I hope you have a plan we are not aware of, but we've seen these youngsters failing previously. Good luck with your combined school. Let's hope it works for you.
Hofmeyr Kwitshana, Pietermaritzburg
Is Solomon Seobe, Pule Mmodi's former agent, confirming what we have been assuming all along that the agents are more interested in the money that they are making out of footballers than their wellbeing? It's so low and embarrassing to read the man saying he wants his share of the money from Pule. Which money and from where? What does Seobe have to do with Pule's Kaizer Chiefs contract seeing he said he wants to see it? I stand to be corrected, but is Pule's contract not a confidential matter between him, his new agent and Chiefs? Pule wanted to come to Chiefs last season – I am not sure how much and how far Seobe assist him regarding that? My gut feeling tells me that Seobe didn't help the player much, hence he was dropped as an agent. Lastly, thanks to Chiefs for the signings that we have made thus far. The future looks promising if our technical team is not going to make these quality players look average by changing how they play or playing them in wrong positions. Poor planning and poor systems of play from the technical team can make a talented player look well below average.
Mompati Panyaza Ndlovu, Lekubu village, Zeerust
"We mean business here." These are words which describe my former schoolteacher at Malekutu High School, Mr Nkwane "Bauba" Sekwati. Kaizer Chiefs are busy on the market as my trusted journalists at Soccer Laduma predicted. After the announcement of six players during last week, now they went on and signed a sensation, Tebogo Potsane, on a three-year deal. If Amakhosi doesn't win any major silverware next campaign, they would have failed. They only thing the technical team must ensure is to make players believe in themselves like the generation of the '90s. Thank you, Amakhosi, for a busy off-season and please show your determination from August to May because the Fat Lady only sings in May. Like coach Pitso Mosimane used to say: "May is too far."
Potsiso Mabule Makaung Mamone, Ga-Mmela village
Whip Your Dictionaries, Maswaiswai, Jola's In Town
I would like to commend Swallows FC's management for bringing Steve Komphela to the camp. This shows that there is a vision in the team and that should help to improve the team. Komphela is the kind of a valuable and well-travelled coach with vast experience of turning ordinary players into world beaters. He has proven as much previously during his spells at teams like Free State Stars, Platinum Stars and Maritzburg United. This is where he nurtured the talents of so many players, even teaching them life skills. A team like Swallows will provide him with the best platform to prove to us that he is one of the best coaches we have in South Africa. Mark my words, the pressure at Swallows will be more than what he experienced at Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, even though his current club does not have vocal supporters like those sides. A majority of our supporters are elderly people in their 60s upwards. The team's lack of resources in terms of acquiring top players will make Komphela do his best with what he has in the team, including DStv Diski Challenge players. He is going to surprise a lot of people by producing gems at Swallows. Welcome to the Dube Birds, Mr Komphela, you have made a right choice and a brilliant move. Furthermore, you are also going to improve our rate of literacy as we will be consulting dictionaries time and again after listening to your interviews. Your appointment is a multi-pronged benefit for both the club and the supporters. To Musa Nyatama and Ditheko Mototo, grab this opportunity of working alongside the great Steve Komphela and you will go places with your careers. Up the Birds! Fly with Swallows!
Thabang Lehoko, via email
It's good to see Steve Komphela leaving the marriage he had with Mamelodi Sundowns to go start a new chapter of his own at Swallows FC. He listened to the advice from the experts that he and Manqoba Mngqithi were good enough to be head coaches. But as to whether Komphela chose wisely by signing with Swallows, only time will tell. I also don't see Mngqithi lasting a season at Chloorkop. We all know that he and Rhulani Mokwena are not birds of the same feather. Anyway, it will be a very interesting season for a lot of coaches in this coming season. Rhulani will have to defend his Coach of the Season accolade and show that it wasn't a fluke.
Nafie Moloantoa, KwaThema
It is great to hear that Steve Komphela has joined Swallows FC. Given his vast football knowledge, he will help the Dube Birds soar higher next season. The well-versed coach is not only good at coaching tactics, but he is a father-figure when it comes to man-management. He knows how to control the dressing room by applying his social and intellectual discipline. Lest we forget, he is among the wisest brains in the world of football. I wish him all the best in his new endeavour. However, following his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns, there has been a public chorus in the media space that Manqoba Mngqithi should follow the suit and leave. Inasmuch as he is still with the Brazilians, he should make calculated decisions for his own future, rather than based on public opinion or popularity polls.
Batsirai Kativu, Johannesburg
Congratulations to coach Steve Komphela for being appointed as the new Swallows FC head coach, not forgetting Kaitano Tembo's appointment at Richards Bay FC. It was high time that Steve left Mamelodi Sundowns after Rhulani Mokwena (allegedly) made it clear that he wants to work with his own people. If true, that showed that he did not want to work with either Steve or Manqoba Mngqithi, hence I say it's a good thing that the former left. I would like to see Sundowns releasing Manqoba from his contract and maybe he can go and get his own project somewhere where he will be appreciated because he is a qualified and experienced coach.
Leponesa Chacha, Botshabelo
We expect to see very attractive football this coming season. I think Rhulani Mokwena should build another strategy to distinguish his team from the rest of the league because it's not going be easy this season. All the best to Steve Komphela at Swallows FC, he can do it.
Mandilakhe Ntaka, Mfuleni, Cape Town
As a concerned staunch Mamelodi Sundowns supporter, Steve Komphela's sudden departure caught me by surprise. For us to conquer the continent, we need a strong squad and technical team. The main focus should be inter-club competition because we have nothing to play for domestically. Prior to renewing his contract with the club, there were rumours that Rhulani Mokwena wanted to bring his own technical team. Chairman Tlhopie Motsepe, Mokwena can't coach Sundowns by himself, he needs seasoned coaches such as Komphela and Manqoba Mngqithi around him. We also saw how painfully we were knocked out of the CAF Champions League by Wydad Casablanca. That game proved beyond doubt that Rhulani is still inexperienced and needs guidance. Arrogance and favouritism are his undoing. Mark my words, this is the beginning of the end of Sundowns' dominance. I can't wait for Pitso Mosimane to join Kaizer Chiefs so that the rivalry can start all over again. If rumours that Rhulani wants to bring in an assistant from Orlando Pirates are true, I foresee a trophyless season for us. The two guys failed dismally at Pirates with quality players at their disposal. On a different note, Pitso needs to learn to be professional. After joining Al Ahly in Egypt, he caused a lot of havoc by trying to snatch Gaston Sirino and the boy lost focus and has never been the same since. Now he's at it again trying to unsettle Peter Shalulile and Sirino. Who told him that these players are for sale? Why can't he go through the right channels? Or is he paid by our archrivals to unsettle our players?
Tente "The Brains" Mokoka, Sepharane
Coach Rhulani Mokwena is slowly building his technical team at Mamelodi Sundowns. I was not surprised by coach Steve Komphela's move to Swallows FC. He knew that he was not needed by the head coach. I wish coach Manqoba Mngqithi can follow suit soon before we witness another drama. I don't know if it's necessary for a coach to change his technical team. I'm not afraid of changes, but I'm worried about how coach Rhulani Mokwena operates. He loves Sundowns with all his heart, but chasing senior coaches away makes me nervous as coach Benni McCarthy said in an interview. Definitely he's going to carry on with how the team plays and more. I'm also worried about players who came to the team during coach Pitso Mosimane's era. I hope he won't divide players. Remember we are Masandawana, a club that is always keen on taking its standard to another level.
Terah Maqepula, Mount Fletcher
