"Gazza", we're back at it. Your Mamelodi Sundowns story. Last week, you painted a vivid picture of how your relationship with Oscar Fullone, back then hired as the club's Technical Director, soured in no time. So, he jumped off in Ghana after your Champions League game against Coton Sport of Cameroon, and you only saw him again for pre-season ahead of the next campaign. What happened next?
Okay, so I arrived at our Sundowns base at Chloorkop on time to start pre-season. The previous season was admittedly not a good one for the club as we finished in a disappointing ninth position on the log standings. But personally, I felt I was one of the best performers at the club that season, contributing seven league goals from my wide midfield position, where I was mostly used. So, you can say I was high on confidence and vowing to help the club achieve better results in the upcoming season. That very day, we got onto the team bus and headed to Pietermaritzburg, where we were having our pre-season camp. The following morning, and the rest of the week, we just did some long-distance running around the hotel. On the Friday, Oscar Fullone arrived with three footballers from Ivory Coast... Adama (Outtara), Siaka (Tiene) and Frank (Guela).
Hmmm… okay.
He was announced as our new coach. We played a full match amongst ourselves that weekend, but the Ivorians didn't take part. We believed the players were there on trials. The following week, on the Monday, I received a call from the Zimbabwe Football Association administration secretary, informing me that I had been called up to the Zimbabwe national team for a COSAFA Cup knockout match against South Africa in East London. The match was set to take place that coming weekend. I was excited, as always. As usual, and as per protocol, the email had already been sent to Mamelodi Sundowns for my release. ZIFA, because of logistics, had asked Sundowns to release me so that I would simply meet up with the rest of the squad at OR Tambo International Airport on the Wednesday, on our way to East London. That evening, at dinner, Peter Koutroulis called me to the table where the officials and coaches were sitting. He told me straight, "Bunjira, Zimbabwe wants you for the game against Bafana Bafana this weekend, but you are not going, my friend. The coaches said you can't go. No one is leaving the camp. Even (Godfrey) Sapula and (Michael) Manzini are not going. Bafana wants them, but they are not going. Clement (Mazibuko) is also arriving here today. He was in camp with Bafana, but we took him out. Sorry, my friend." Eish! My face went pale.
We can only imagine, as representing the country is always exciting news for any player…
Yes, I always got excited playing for Zimbabwe. This was also a perfect opportunity for me to lay a claim in the national team as we were about to start the 2004 Afcon qualifiers. I tried to protest to Koutroulis, but Fullone interjected and said, "Ey, Punjira, we said you are not going. End of story. Go and eat." Eish, the rude tone in his voice said it all. He was angry. Then I remembered Cameroon. The man still had a dislike for me. I could feel it in his voice. I walked slowly back to the dinner table, disappointed and dejected. The weekend came and, on the Saturday of the Bafana v Zimbabwe match, we actually got an afternoon off to allow us to watch the match. I remember that match very well because that was the match the Zimbabwe coach, Sunday Chidzambwa, kept shouting, "Kaitano, kune mhepo (there is wind), kune mhepo." Sashi Chalwe and Siaka Tiene, who were watching the match with us, asked what the coach was saying. Ha, ha, ha, they laughed when I told them! Tiene had become a close friend of mine and Chalwe in the camp. I think he naturally got inclined to us as foreigners. The other Ivorians kept to themselves a lot, but "Chico" always liked to hang out with me and Chalwe in our room. I watched the match in disappointment as I kept thinking I could also be playing. This had negative repercussions for my international career because after that, the coach never called me up again, throughout the 2004 Afcon qualifiers.
Go on, brother.
We finished the pre-season camp alright, and went back to Johannesburg, where we were in the semi-final of the Charity Spectacular at FNB Stadium. We played our first game and won. I don't remember well who we played, but I was in the starting line-up. We went back to the hotel to rest and came back for the final. I was on the bench for the final, I remember. We lost the match, but I recall that Tiene scored his first goal for Sundowns in that match. I thought all was well and good. Come the next week, we were playing our first league match against Kaizer Chiefs at Ellis Park. The team was announced on the Friday, and I was left out of the team completely! I couldn't believe it! Not even on the bench! However, I took it as a man. On game day, I went to the stadium with my players' box complimentary ticket. I met Chalwe in the players' box. I asked him why he wasn't in the team when he was the team captain. He said he was also dropped because he was injured. In my confused stated about being dropped, I had not noticed that he was also not in the team when it was announced. We were also sitting with Mohale Naruseb from Namibia. When our team came on for the warm-up, I got the shock of my life. I saw all the three players from Ivory Coast in the team. Rotson Kilambe was also in the team. That meant there were four foreigners already in the team and registered. There I was sitting with the team captain, Chalwe, who was also a foreigner. What that meant is that myself and Naruseb were not registered for the season.
Geez, just like that!?
Why wasn't I told? That question kept ringing in my head… but I couldn't get an answer. I went into a daze. The next Tuesday before training, I went straight to Mr Manager, Koutroulis and asked why I was not registered. Mr Koutroulis looked surprised and said, "Oh, you didn't know? I thought you knew and you agreed." I was like, "Agree to what?" Mr Koutroulis than said, "Ah Bunjira, I think you need to go and see Mrs Natasha (Tsichlas). She is the best person to ask." I said, "Ok" and then went to the office. Mrs Natasha (we called her "Mrs Natasha") was not there, so I proceeded to training. After training, I went to the office again and found her in her office. She welcomed me into her office cheerfully, as always. I should say I had a great relationship with Mrs Natasha, Mr Angelo (Tsichlas) and Mr Koutroulis. They looked after me at Sundowns like their own son. When I got into the office, Mrs Natasha said, with her usual smile, "Yes, Alois, sit. What can I do for you?" I sat and went straight to my reason for coming to her office. "Mrs Natasha, I saw in the game on Sunday that we had four foreigners in the team. If you include Sashi Chalwe, then that means Sundowns has already registered the maximum number of five foreigners (for the season). That means I am not registered."
Can't wait to hear what her response was!
Mrs Natasha responded, "Oh, yes, we didn't register you. Alois, remember I called you to the office before we went home for the off-season and asked you if it was okay for us to apply for your Permanent Residence, since you now qualify. We agreed with the coaches that we would register the guys from Ivory Coast and the two Zambians, while we apply for your Permanent Residence Permit so we can register you as a non-foreigner." I said, "Yeah, Mrs Natasha, I remember that conversation, but Mrs Natasha, I wasn't told I wouldn't be registered in the meantime. Permanent Residence Permit takes long to come out. That means I won't be playing all that time?" Mrs Natasha said, "But we will try to expedite and push for it to be quick." Eish. I couldn't argue with Mrs Natasha. I respected her too much. She also treated me like a blue-eyed boy at the team. I just said, "Okay, Mrs Natasha", and went home.
Interesting conversation. In the next edition, we finish things off as the story just gets more explosive and develops more twists and turns from this point on. It's such brilliant insight into the typical struggles faced by players, even at the so-called big clubs, in those days. So, see you next week, same publication, same page!
Thanks.
By Lunga Adam
