Most footballers dream of reaching the very top, and it's something they strive for every single day. It's a long journey and one which they soon discover along the way takes something very special to achieve. What does it take to establish yourself as one of a select few top performers in the PSL?
Once you've made your name, how do you take your game to the next level to put yourself amongst the elite as a premium performer? How can you take it one step further and establish yourself as a legend? In this feature, David Minchella analyzes the careers of Orlando Pirates stars Senzo Meyiwa, Oupa Manyisa and Lucky Lekgwathi to find out what it takes to get to these levels.
The Select Performer: Senzo Meyiwa
"I don't just want to add numbers here. I want to make sure that when the chairman Dr Irvin Khoza and all the people at the club look at me, they feel proud of their investment. I'm one of the few players from the club's development, so I've got to make these people proud."
This is what Senzo Meyiwa once told Soccer-Laduma about what it is that drives him. For years he was in the shadow of the club's established first choice shot-stopper Moeneeb Josephs.
As years went by and he watched his young career fading away on the sidelines, it seemed uncertain he'd ever realise his dream of becoming undisputed number one. But Meyiwa has proven himself to be a fighter – someone who is unafraid to battle the odds and overcome the obstacles, and then come out smiling on the other side.
"A negative attitude attracts negative outcomes, so I never sulk but remain positive." This is how Meyiwa once described his sunny view of life, and his attitude to his football career. His resilience has paid off and it's been a spectacular recent rise to the top for the man they call 'Nzori'. When his chance finally came for a consistent run in the first team under Roger de Sa, he grabbed it and never looked back! Arguably, his crowning glory as Bucs' undisputed number one came when he almost single-handedly denied TP Mazembe in a crucial African Champions League qualifier. His two heroic penalty saves helped Bucs to be where they are today in the competition's semi-final stages.
What does the future hold for Meyiwa? He once answered confidently, "Itumeleng Khune is definitely not putting pressure on me, but I want to see myself at his level for Bafana Bafana."
For a player who has through a positive outlook and unyielding determination established himself as a select performer in the PSL, challenging for the number one spot in the national team is certainly something that's a very definite possibility. And the Ghost Ship faithful should feel every reason to take pride in what their former youth product has gone on to achieve!
The Premium Performer: Oupa Manyisa
So rich a gift does Oupa Manyisa possess as a footballer that Chelsea and Manchester United once ran the rule over him in his younger years. But then no offers came from Europe and in 2008, Pirates came calling for the then teenager's signature.
With such undoubted ability, you might expect that he'd adapt to life easier than most at Bucs. However, that wasn't the case and in his early years he sometimes fell foul of the boo-boys, for some of his inconsistent performances at right back. It was a rocky start for a player who at the time was clearly being played out of position!
Nonetheless, Manyisa hung in there through the dark times, and later revealed to Soccer-Laduma how he drew strength from those earlier experiences, "I have a very big heart and ngiyazi ukuthi ngifuna ni ebomini (I know what I want in life), so that kept me going all the time. You can't always have everything going right for you and you also don't give up because things don't seem like they are working out for you."
Fast forward to the crucial role he plays today for Pirates in the centre of the park and all those bad times are a distant memory.
Today he humbly tries to shrug off his superb combination with Andile Jali in the heart of the Bucs midfield, "No, there's nothing special about Andile and myself! I mean, there are better players than us and therefore I don't think we're anywhere near being the best. We're still learning, but I must say I really enjoy working with the guy because we fight for each other."
Nevertheless, the pair undoubtedly share a special bond – one which has played a massive role in some of the club's successes in recent seasons.
Manyisa's journey to the top hasn't been easy, but his maturing into a top quality central midfielder in recent times has been clear to everyone. It's why he's become such an important player for Pirates, and it's also why the man they call 'Ace' is a premium performer in the PSL.
The Legend: Lucky Lekgwathi
"There's an old lady who sells food in Bree Street and she loves Pirates so much, her name is Hilda. We also like to support her and she left me a voicemail the other day, asking me to come over. When I got there, she told me she wanted to buy me groceries and petrol because she knew I was unemployed! You have no idea how much that touched me because she's not making a lot of money from her business, but she was willing to share with me."
There was a time earlier in Lucky Lekgwathi's career where his future was uncertain. He had just come back from a serious injury and for some months trained with Bucs' first team, without receiving a salary. He had received offers to go elsewhere, but his love for the club and supporters like Hilda meant he decided to risk it and stay to fight for his place. Who could ever argue that this isn't what true legends are made of? Fast forward to just a few years later and his calculated risk has paid off beyond his wildest dreams. Back to back treble-winning seasons were just reward for the whole-hearted commitment he showed to his club.
At the age of 37, is he showing any signs of slowing down? It appears not when you look at the ambition he still has for Bucs in the African Champions League this season. He once told the Siya crew, "We've won almost everything here and the only thing missing is the second star above our badge!"
True passion is rare in this life. Phinda Mzala. Orlando Pirates legend. Respect.
