Kick Off March 2021

When the former Lesotho international Lekoane Lekoane played for Kaizer Chiefs in the mid-1990s, there was not much fanfare about his football. While the ‘Glamour Boys’ were filled with star players like Thabang Lebese, Isaac ‘Shakes’ Kungwane and Pollen Ndlanya – the ‘cheesekop’ striker quietly went about his business without grabbing headlines. In 1996, when Chiefs came to the Mother City to play Cape Town Spurs at Athlone Stadium, Lekoane was one of the best players on the pitch alongside Ndlanya, helping his team win the match 4-1. He made darting runs, created spaces for Ndlanya, but when he scored, his celebrations were not as joyous as you would have expected – it was as if scoring didn’t mean anything to him. At least that’s what it looked like to…

To air your views, email your letters to forum@kickoff.com The views expressed in the letters published do not reflect the views of KICK OFF magazine, its editor, publisher or CT Media Publications (Pty) Ltd. The editor reserves the right to edit and shorten letters. Letters shorter than 200 words will be given preference. Please note there are no prizes for star letters at this time. PSL must consider VAR I’m writing this letter not as a fundi, but as a soccer lover who’d like to hear what others have to say about some issues in the Beautiful Game. During matches, coaches and spectators become so emotionally involved that the pain they feel if they lose, fairly or otherwise, is unbearable. Apart from that, soccer has a direct impact on people’s…

ALSO LAST MONTH… Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Motjeka Madisha is laid to rest on February 6 after he was killed in a car accident in December. Cape Town City confirm the signing of Nigerian midfielder Abdul Ajagun, who was last with Belgian top-flight side Kortrijk. They released Ghana striker Prince Opoku Agyemang to open up a foreigner spot for his arrival. Tokelo Rantie played his first game of competitive football in almost three-and-a-half years when he turned out for TTM in their Nedbank Cup win over SuperSport United on February 4. Kaizer Chiefs promote 21-year-old midfielder Sabelo Radebe from their DStv Dsiki Challenge squad to the first team. Mamelodi Sundowns sign defender Rushine de Reuck from Marotzburg United. The latter bring in German goalkeeper Marcel Engelhardt. TTM sack coach Joel…

KICK OFF: You were a teenage striker banging in the goals for AmaTuks in the 2006/07 season before going on to play at the 2007 All Africa Games. Some 15 years later you are still relevant in the football space … George Maluleka: [Laughing] The confidence that I had as a teenager at TUKS was insane. I knew I was good, but I was also helped by the people that I played with who were experienced and I took their advice. I was moved into the midfield at Ajax Cape Town because of my size since I wasn’t the biggest of guys and couldn’t play as a holding forward in the system that we used. Lasting in the game comes with setting goals. When I was at the AmaTuks academy,…

Former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United player Daine Klate believes that Gavin Hunt’s decision to join Kaizer Chiefs was not ill-informed or made in haste. Having won four league titles, the Telkom Knockout and an MTN8 trophy over two separate spells with Hunt at SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits, Klate understands the Chiefs coach well. “I think it was always going to be a little difficult,” he says. “Gavin comes from a different environment … Chiefs have a different culture to the teams that he became accustomed to. “[Bidvest] Wits and SuperSport [United] had a similar type of way of doing things, and Chiefs have their own way of doing things. It was always going to be a challenge, but one I feel he was ready for. “I think he’s…

Senior players such as Itumeleng Khune, Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker, who have enjoyed success at the heights of their careers, have drawn mixed sentiments from the Amakhosi faithful with regards to their value and contribution to the squad. But Siyabonga Nkosi feels their futures will all depend on their willingness to buy into, and help instil, Gavin Hunt’s philosophy and ideasonto the rest of the squad. “I feel he can still use those players, depending on how he wants to use them, whether sparingly or full-time,” Nkosi says. “The main thing is for the coach and the senior guys to find an understanding. Obviously, there’s bound to be misunderstandings between some of the experienced players or those with a bigger profile and the coach, but the difference is in…