BUCO knows that for some players, the journey to the highest ranks of professional football takes a bit longer than others.
Many young players have to toil in the lower leagues and show a lot of discipline and dedication to finally reach the top.
In this week's BUCO feature, Soccer Laduma's Khaya Ndubane takes a look at the path that Chippa United fan favourite and captain, Andile Mbenyane, took to get to the top.
Khaya Ndubane: Ace, let's get straight to it my outhi… Tell us, how did it all begin for you in football?
Andile Mbenyane: I started playing football back home in Paarl for Mbekweni United, who were playing in the SAB League then. I helped them get promotion to the Vodacom League (now known as the ABC Motsepe League). I played very well for Mbekweni and I won many club awards and it was not long before Ajax Cape Town came and asked me to join them. I then played for the Ajax reserves for a while in the same league as Mbekweni, and I became the team's top goalscorer. After that I was promoted to the Ajax senior team in 2007, and following that I was loaned to Ikapa Sporting, where I continued to play well.
KN: Tell us about the experience of playing for the Urban Warriors?
AM: Eish, I didn't have the best of stays at Ajax. I couldn't recapture the form that saw me scoring many goals for Mbekweni and the Ajax reserves. I learnt a lot though at Ajax because, as you know, in the townships, we don't play organised football. We rely on individual skills. I also enjoyed my trips to Amsterdam to play for Ajax in the Copa Amsterdam. Even though I didn't get much game-time at Ajax, it made me a better player and I'll always be grateful to them for that.
KN: How did you end up playing for Chippa?
AM: After a frustrating period at Ajax, I decided to go back home to Paarl to be with my family and to recharge my batteries. I then decided to go back to Mbekweni United to keep myself fit. The chairman (Siviwe Mpengesi) bought Mbekweni United's status in the second division and he asked me to sign a contract with his newly-formed side, Chippa United, and help them to be promoted to the National First Division. I agreed. I managed to do that and we went all the way to the PSL together. Unfortunately the team went back to the NFD, and I went down with them.
KN: Tell us about your second experience in the PSL, when Chippa was promoted during the 2012/13 season.
AM: I was so excited when we were promoted. I felt like a completely new player. I enjoyed playing against some of the best players in the PSL. Unfortunately, we only lasted for one season.
KN: Did you ever think you would make a quick return to the PSL?
AM: To be honest, I believed that we would return to the PSL. The reason for that was that I looked at the quality of the players that we had, and the fact that the Chairman was prepared to spend on his team to bring other quality players to the team. I think the club did well to keep the core of the team together so we didn't have to gel as a team or anything. That good planning from the club management paid off because we won the NFD league with four games to spare.
KN: How do you feel about leading the team back to the elite league?
AM: I'm really proud to have led the team back to the PSL. Credit to the chairman and his management team, the technical team, the players and of course the supporters who were there for us when we were campaigning in the NFD. In the end, it was a team effort, so well done to everyone!
To read more of Mbenyane's interview, be sure to get yourself a copy of Soccer Laduma's latest edition, issue 873, and refer to page 22.
