Bafana Bafana international Anele Ngcongca has opened up about what exactly took place before he made the decision to join Mamelodi Sundowns.
The 29-year-old landed his first professional PSL contract with the 2015/16 Absa Premiership champions, after spending the last decade plying his trade in the Belgium Pro League with Racing Genk.
However, during the last month of his stay in Europe, speculation surrounding the player’s possible return to Mzansi was rife, and it was Sundowns who were successful in welcoming the player to South Africa’s top flight.
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In an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, the defender revealed why he chose to move to Masandawana, and explained the role head coach Pitso Mosimane played in his decision.
“I chose Sundowns because they were more serious than the other teams I was talking to. Also Pitso Mosimane played a big role. I had worked with Pitso at Bafana Bafana, so I know his philosophy and I enjoyed myself when he was the national team coach.
“He gives freedom to his players and he gets the best out of you, but you have to understand him. Last year, before I joined Troyes in France on loan from Genk, I called him to tell him about my situation.
“He said to me, 'You can go if you are happy. But if you are not happy, there’s a team called Sundowns that could be your home.' Those words touched me, because Pitso is like a father-figure to most of his players and he looks after them well,” Ngcongca said.
To read the full exclusive interview with Anele Ngcongca, check out this week’s edition of Soccer Laduma, issue number 991.
