Kick Off December 2021

With Orlando Pirates leading ASEC Abidjan 1-0 during the 1995 CAF Champions Cup Final second leg (now the CAF Champions League), stand-in coach Ronald Mkhandawire threw on Bernard ‘Shoes’ Lushozi with 13 minutes remaining to stabilize things in midfield. In the early stages of the competition, Lushozi was an integral part of the Bucs team, playing four matches under then coach Mike Makaab. During that match in Abidjan, the hard tackling player featured in a defensive midfield position after the sending off of captain Innocent Mncwango in the first leg. Lushozi destroyed everything in sight, protecting the defensive pair of Mark Fish and Gavin Lane as The Buccaneers marched on to become the first Southern African team win the prestigious CAF club competition. From his early days at Moroka Swallows…

Keep up the good work Team KO Since my days at school, I really believed in your magazine for news from soccer around the world. KICK OFF editorial team, I’m proud of you guys. The information I have, it’s always through KICK OFF. You have been outstanding, especially with our local football. Big up next year, we want to still see you with more energy to deliver nothing but the best. Happy Christmas to all regular readers and staff. God be with you. By Danny Moreo, Segakwana village, Moruleng The PSL needs VAR Referee Jelly Chavani and his assistant are on suspension after granting Kaizer Chiefs an undeserved penalty against AmaZulu. The fact of the matter is that such mistakes are very common and, because of such errors, many teams…

GOOD MONTH FOR … MAMELODI SUNDOWNS The MTN8 trophy, a record 12 games in the DStv Premiership without conceding a goal and already a sizeable lead in the title race. It is all going right for The Brazilians. BAD MONTH FOR … MPHO MAKHOLA SAFA and the PSL say they will investigate Cape Town City midfielder Makola after he allegedly shoved a match official following the MTN8 final penalty shootout loss to Mamelodi Sundowns. Makola was previously banned for six months for the same offence in 2019. ALSO LAST MONTH… • Mamelodi Sundowns issue a strong denial to former Vaal Professionals player Peter Khoabane’s allegations that he was paid to fix a match in Masandawana’s favour in the late 1990s. • Stuart Baxter becomes the second Kaizer Chiefs coach in…

The decision by Pitso Mosimane to bring Andile Jali to Mamelodi Sundowns generated doubts upon the completion of his first season at Chloorkop, back in the Premier Soccer League after a four-year stay at Belgian club KVV Oostende. There was the feeling that Jali would never reach the level he attained at Orlando Pirates, when he made bossing the midfield such a habit through Pirates’ best years of the PSL era when they won six trophies in two seasons. Jail only played eight full matches in his first campaign at Sundowns, something that raised many eyebrows. But his coach at the time, Mosimane, wasn’t bothered by the critics who felt the midfielder was only back in South Africa to enjoy the fat paycheque he was on at the club. Jail’s…

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (2007-09) He arrives as a 17-year-old from Matatiele after being spotted at the Coca-Cola Football Stars but was daring enough to fight for a starting place right away, climbing up to 14 appearances in his first season. Then as AmaTuks reached the final of the Nedbank Cup in his second season it became obvious that he would leave. ORLANDO PIRATES (2009-14) That he made 26 appearances in his first season playing under Rudi Krol and won four Bafana Bafana caps provides the evidence about the nerve in him. He could and should have made it into the World Cup squad as the youngest player had it not been for a health scare related to his heart. He didn’t despair and grew his value, playing over 100 games…

The basis upon which coaches are judged in football is always results, but sometimes also silverware depending on the profile of the club. After Orlando Pirates decided to throw the dice yet again with co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids replacing Josef Zinnbauer, there will have been hope of an upward trajectory for the side, but it has yet to materialise. The role taken by Ncikazi when he joined from Lamontville Golden Arrows at the start of the season was never clarified, except for the club to state that he was joining to become a member of the technical team. It only gave weight to the fact that Zinnbauer’s days were numbered, and it came as no surprise when the German was gone before the first league game was played.…