With so much drama in the local football scene, it’s kinda hard being Umjaka right now.
That line sounds kind of familiar if you’re a 90s hip-hop fan like me.
It’s Dr Dre's Ain’t Nothing But a G Thang.
See I’m a purist at heart, I’m a football fan first, before I was even a football player I was a fan first.
I became a good football player and even then I was heavily involved with the game; always ready to share ideas and opinions with coaches, teammates and making friends with opponents whether we won or lost.
I recall a moment when I hosted a group of European journalists made up of Dutch and German magazine and newspaper writers and radio and TV broadcasters.
They were here in Cape Town for a pre-visit to get familiar with the area for the 2010 World Cup.
They had a lot of reservations because of the negative reports, I kept answering and trying to justify our potential as hosts.
I had to shut them down mildly and pointed out the challenges that Germany had with their stadiums and finished with “who will really care about what is happening outside the stadium when the referee blows for kickoff?”
They were a little confused, so I broke it down for them from a young Gugulethu-born passionate football perspective.
They needed to know that what is a priority to them, might not be really a priority for many others.
I told them about one of my earliest stadium experiences at Hartleyvale.
I don’t even remember who paid for my ticket, all I remember was that I found myself on a train with a group of guys from my hood.
Kaizer Chiefs were in town, I don’t even remember the score, but Doctor Khumalo was incredible and I ended up on the shoulders of one of the older guys walking back from Hartleyvale through Pinelands to Langa, where we caught another train.
So why would I care or guys that I grew up with care about Fifa’s and international journalists’ expectations of things like transport systems, when there’s a Brazil versus Germany match going on?
It was thus very special to be back at Hartleyvale area this past weekend to, going back to basics and catch up with the legends of Cape Town football and grassroots football.
I was among the guests of the launch of a new club in Safa SAB Castle League called Nova Nacional FC.
The Milnerton-based club bought the status of Riverside Rangers and boasts an incredible list of former players such as Vorgen Less, Ryan Botha and Neil Winstanley (Google them) who will coach at the club.
What made the occasion special was the laughs shared when Safa Cape Town President, Bennet Bailey, said that he wished the new outfit best of luck for their games “on Friday nights in Manenberg”.
Saturday and Sunday were spent at the 2018 Kapstadt Cup hosted by FC Kapstadt at Hartleyvale.
It was an awesome family environment with kids competing in the U10 and lower-age groups in a 6-a-side format.
Sometimes we forget why we’re in this game. Such moments and experiences with people from different backgrounds remind you of how beautiful the game of football is! Keep it up guys!