Phakamani Mahlambi is not the first and will most certainly not be the last talent gone down the drain and it looks like there is just no way back for a player who once looked destined for greatness.
I first saw Mahlambi in 2013, long before he turned professional, during the 2013 Metropolitan SASFA Under-16 Cup in Seshego, Polokwane.
He was playing for the School of Excellence and all of us watching him during that tournament agreed that there was something special in him. He was the player of the tournament and wrapped up his campaign in style with a hat-trick in the final to leave a lasting impression.
So, when he burst onto the scene at Bidvest Wits and made an immediate impact in 2015, I was not surprised at all. I had already seen what the young man was capable of and I was one of many who believed that he would go on to achieve great things, based solely on the talent witnessed in those speedy legs of his.
Perhaps the move to Al Ahly in 2017 came as a bit of a surprise for me, but it was also an opportunity for him to get himself into Europe, with a number of clubs often watching the Egyptian giants. For whatever reason, things did not quite work out for him in Egypt, but that was not the end of the world.
A move to Mamelodi Sundowns was an opportunity to get back to his best and possibly attract interest abroad, with Sundowns often playing CAF Champions League, where scouts in Europe are looking at who to sign. But, Mahlambi did not use the opportunity and now finds himself in a position where he may never get to play football at the levels he did when he was at Sundowns or Al Ahly.
I've read with concern recently the reports of an alleged case of domestic violence against Mahlambi. Whether or not this is true, Mahlambi should not be in situations like that. This is someone who should be abroad, possibly in one of the big five leagues in Europe. That's how good I think Mahlambi was.
It's easy for us to look at what could have gone wrong in his life and blame it on that, but Mahlambi probably has to take a good look in the mirror and take responsibility for what has happened. Like Mahlambi, I've made my own mistakes in life and I am fully aware that I cannot blame anyone but myself. The one thing I can do is take responsibility and find ways to rebuild my life to ensure I become a man of substance.
At 26, Mahlambi might find it difficult to make a return to play for the bigger clubs in the PSL, but he also has a whole life ahead of him and can probably use some of these lessons in his life to guide the younger generation. It's at a time like this where Mahlambi needs a mentor in his life, someone who play a significant role in getting him on the right track, because we need role-models, more young men taking positive steps in their lives.
