Table of contents for July 2022 in Kick Off

Andile Jali’s constant exclusion from the national team by coach Hugo Broos is baffling to say the least. Broos has made his point clear that as long as he is in charge of the national team, he doesn’t see himself selecting Jali or his Mamelodi Sundowns clubmate Themba Zwane. Most coaches who leave players out of the national squad do not make that decision in perpetuity – it’s a temporal one that is revisited at a later stage in most cases, depending on how well a player is performing. But when it comes to Jali, it’s evidently clear that the stubborn Belgian coach has no plans to change his decision – it has been set in stone. And that is where the problem lies. This is not fair on Jali…

GOOD MONTH FOR … ARTHUR ZWANE Zwane will realise his dream of being a permanent head coach in the PSL and will do so with traditionally the biggest club in the country as he seeks to restore former glories at Kaizer Chiefs. BAD MONTH FOR … KHURISHI MPHAHLELE The Baroka FC owner has put a lot of time and money into the Limpopo club but has paid the price for poor decision-making in the boardroom as the side contemplate GladAfrica Championship football next season following their topflight relegation. ALSO LAST MONTH… Mamelodi Sundowns complete another major capture with the signing of SuperSport United midfielder Sipho Mbule, who joins former teammate Teboho Mokoena at Chloorkop. Former SuperSport United tactician Kaitano Tembo is unveiled as the new head coach at Sekhukhune United.…

The year was 1996 and South African football was in a celebratory mood following Bafana Bafana’s success at the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. For John Tlale, who had been part of that squad despite not earning any minutes through the tournament, this was the time to make the big move from QwaQwa Stars (now Free State Stars) to Gauteng. He was due to turn 29 that year, so it all made sense that he moved to earn better money and win trophies. Kaizer Chiefs had knocked hard on Ea Lla Koto’s doors for his services, and it looked like he would be moving to the AmaKhosi, where he would be competing with Brian Baloyi. “It was an amazing experience being with players coming from overseas like Rhoo…

Are PSL teams fair to players? What a wonderful 2021-22 season we had indeed. Players will now switch to other teams to strengthen their squads and it will be interesting to see what happens. It was so painful to see Siyethemba Sithebe being side-lined by AmaZulu for the second half of the season because he agreed terms with Kaizer Chiefs. Players have to move for greener pastures, so in the PSL some teams don’t treat players fairly. Football is a short career and players must make money quickly. Marumo Gallants know that they will lose Miguel Timm, but they play him, and he was excellent, so why don’t other teams do the same? Stop punishing players when they move while having few months left in their contract. The PSL is…

Ashley du Preez believes he can supply the goals to help make Kaizer Chiefs competitive again when the makes the switch to Naturena for the 2022-23 campaign. Du Preez moves to Chiefs along with Stellenbosch FC teammate Zitha Kwinika, as both follow in the footsteps of Phathutshedzo Nange, who made a successful switch at the start of last season. “One of the reasons behind my decision to join Chiefs is to try and help the club win trophies again and to test myself in a different environment and at a different club – at a big club like Chiefs,” Du Preez tells KICK OFF. “I’m looking forward to joining the AmaKhosi family and I know that the fans will welcome me and support me because Chiefs is my new team. “I…

Sifiso Dladla was born in Tongaat on November 20, 1978 set up base in Newtown while he attended school in Hambanathi, the township that he also identifies with. He holds a CAF C Licence, plus Brazilian and Dutch qualifications, while his assistant coach Ronnie Gabriel has a CAF A Licence. The Richards Bay coach worked as an administration clerk after acquiring a Public Management and Administration qualification from the Durban University of Technology and holds an Education qualification from UNISA which he has kept in his back pocket. “I left teaching in 2018 because football then became a full-time job for me,” Dladla says. “Football wise, I watched Maritzburg City training sessions featuring Jimmy Tau in my late teens because they trained where I studied. “I trained with the AmaZulu…

Congratulations to Arthur Zwane As a Kaizer Chiefs fan, I’m glad the management have finally decided to name Arthur Zwane as the permanent head coach. I think this is a very good and a wise move. Even though it has come late, I’m really happy with the decision. My wish was for management to let him and Dillon Sheppard take charge of 2021 CAF Champions League final before they handed the reins to Stuart Baxter. Their momentum, together with that of the players, was still very high and very much full of confidence. I swear if they were given that opportunity, we would’ve won something this season. What needs to be done now is not to put pressure on him and his assistant, but give them as much support as…

Ashley du Preez will play for Kaizer Chiefs in the 2022/23 Premier Soccer League season, joining a club that had tracked him for some time. He admits it was a wrench to leave his hometown club. “Everything began here. This is where I am from, this is where it began,” Du Preez said. “This is where we won the NFD [GladAfrica Championship]. This is my blood, where I grew up. So it is never an easy decision to make leaving a club like Stellenbosch and a town that has given me so much. A community that has given me so much. “I want to thank the management and coaching staff for supporting me through thick and thin. Even though I am going to another chapter, they will always be in my…

Dumisani Zuma is not the first talented South African footballer to see his career threatened by off-field problems. There has been plenty before him like Lerato Chabangu, Mbulelo ‘Old-John’ Mabizela, Masibusane Zongo, Tokelo Rantie, Jabu Pule and Junior Khanye, whose careers never blossomed after failing to handle the fame and fortune which football brought them. Even right now there are players struggling to find the balance in the domestic game. A prime example is Phakamani Mahlambi who has been sinking his career into the abyss. From being the promising teenager who broke through at Wits, he has now found himself merely wasting away during loan spells at AmaZulu and now Chippa United where he has made little contribution. SuperSport United’s wantaway midfielder Sipho Mbule has also not helped himself with questionable tendencies.…

Richards Bay acquired AmaZulu’s National First Division status in 2017 after Usuthu bought the franchise of Thanda Royal Zulu – who had been promoted to the PSL. Richards Bay chairman Sifiso ‘Jomo’ Biyela, who had been CEO at Thanda, brought with him the bulk of the playing staff, along with those in the office. The late Roger Sikhakhane was the first coach of Richards Bay as the club set off on its First Division journey. Sello Ntuli, Jean-Francois Losciuto, Brandon Truter, Ian Palmer, Simo Dladla and Allan Freese all had a bite of the cherry at the club before Pitso Dladla took over for this season. Through their five years in the second-tier, they finished 12th, seventh, 12th, third and then first this past campaign. With their usual home, the uMhlathuze…

CAMEROON This will be the eighth time that the Indomitable Lions compete at the finals, which is the most by any African country, but comes after a last gasp goal in the March playoff against Algeria ensured their progress. It was not a convincing campaign with qualification secured some six weeks after they had finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament they hosted, after which they changed their coach and put former skipper Rigobert Song in charge. They are in a tough Group G where they will need a vast improvement to stand any chance of advancing. Opponents Switzerland November 24, 3pm Al Janoub Stadium The Swiss finished above European champions Italy to ensure direct qualification to the World Cup and at last year’s European Championship eliminated world…

July 7, 1992 v Cameroon 1-0 (Khumalo 82’ pen) Friendly international King’s Park rugby stadium, Durban Caution: Pagal 38’ Ref.: Jelas Masole (Botswana) Att.: 40,000 South Africa: Mark Anderson, David Nyathi, Lucas Radebe, Steve Komphela, Sam Kambule, Zane Moosa (August Makalakalane 51’), Donald Khuse, Neil Tovey capt., Doctor Khumalo, Fani Madida, Phil Masinga. Coach: Stanley Tshabalala. Cameroon: Andem, Tataw, Onana, Ebwelle, Ndip, Mbarga (Djomo 72’), Pagal, Loga, Chi Fru (Djappa 68’), Milla, Ewane. Coach: Nyongha. July 9, 1992 v Cameroon 1-2 (Onana 8’ own goal; Ewane 9’, 87’) Friendly international Goodwood showgrounds, Cape Town Dismissals: Onana 57’, Pagal 60’ Cautions: Milla 52’, Djomo 55’ Ref.: Bakwali Mothobi (Botswana) Att.: 16,000 South Africa: Mark Anderson, David Nyathi, Lucas Radebe, Steve Komphela, Sam Kambule, August Makalakalane, Donald Khuse, Neil Tovey capt. (Sizwe…

KEVIN DE BRUYNE Date of birth: June 28, 1991 Current club: Manchester City Previous clubs: Genk, Chelsea, Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg 10 Kevin De Bruyne has won 10 trophies during his time with English Premiership side Manchester City having joined in 2015 from German side, VfL Wolfsburg. The 31-year-old has won four Premier League titles, five League Cups and an FA Cup with the club. 88 The Belgium-international debut in 2010 during a 1-0 defeat to Finland and has since earned 88 caps and scored 23 goals. In 2014, De Bruyne was selected in the Belgian squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and helped his country reach the quarterfinals where they lost 1-0 to Argentina. At the 2016 Euros, Belgium were also knocked out in the quarterfinals, this time 3-1 by…

No-one outside football can fully understand the impact it has on players when a club releases you from a contract – it’s a difficult period and you have no choice but to move elsewhere and seek new employment. You have to speak to your agent and ask him to find you a new club, but it is not easy because some of the teams have a small budget. There are lots of players who have been released recently. If a PSL club releases as many as 15 footballers, where are they going to find replacements for these players? Are they going to go back to development and promote young players, or are they going to go back to the market to buy new ones? Some teams will come and show…