The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
TSHOLOTSHO centre back Thando Ncube’s career could have prematurely ended had coach Lizwe Sweswe not begged the player’s father to let him join the team in 2009.
Ncube had just completed his secondary education and although he knew the career path to follow, his father Innocent was adamant that he opts for formal employment outside of football. The lanky Ncube is one of the few players who have consistently risen with Tsholotsho FC from Division Two having joined the side in 2009 while still a teenager, fresh from secondary school.
Infact the close relationship between Ncube and Sweswe began when the former was just a nine year old, playing junior football for Bootlaces in the suburb of Pumula, when he was at Mabambeni Primary School pupil.
The bond grew and blossomed to the point where Sweswe had to convince Thando’s father Innocent to allow the boy to pursue a future in the game where his passion lay.
“My late mother, Getrude Nyoni was very supportive. She used to encourage me in terms of my love for football and would provide whatever I needed to pursue the sport but my father thought football was a waste of time and it took Sweswe to convince him to think otherwise,’’ said Thando.
Sweswe used to attend Bootlaces training sessions at the invitation of a friend Minenhle Maphosa who was the coach, where he spotted Thando as a youngster. After leaving Bootlaces, Thando continued his interaction with Sweswe, attending frequent training sessions conducted by gaffer when he was still at Inline Girls Soccer Academy. Thando said his discipline, commitment and love for football might have impressed Sweswe to embrace and nurture him.
“I think discipline could have been one of the reasons why we developed a relationship with the coach. Maybe I am one of those players who quickly grasp his instructions and can implement whatever he is coaching me without taking a lot of time. His easy-going nature and the fact he is approachable made it easy for me to become attached to him.
“He taught me from a young age that one has to embrace leadership qualities and take the initiative from a young age.
I am able to rally the team even in times when the chips are down, I can motivate the team to pick up the pieces not be sapped by a defeat or conceding a goal,” said Thando.
The Tsholotsho centre-back says Sweswe has become more than just a coach to him, but a fatherly figure for him. On the pitch Sweswe has moulded him to be the player he is today, emphasising confidence and being brave when it comes to defending.
“He (Sweswe) taught me to be brave and more confident whenever I’m on the pitch but more importantly what I have learnt is that team work gets it done,’’ he said.
Thando says his best friend is teammate and anchorman Butho Ncube (not a relative) whom he got to know when they were teenagers, a long relationship that have seen them develop a telepathic understating on the pitch.
“I used to stay in Pumula and he (Butho) had relatives in the suburb while he grew up in Magwegwe North and I had relatives in that area so I think our love for football saw us interacting frequently and we developed a strong relationship both on and off the pitch.
“Butho arrived at Tsholotsho two years after me and I am comfortable playing with him because we encourage each other, communicate easily and even if one of us shouts at the other there would be no hard feelings but we appreciate that it is only a way of being corrected,” said the former Pumula High pupil.
Thando is single although he is in a relationship with Gugulethu Mpofu. The player, who resides in Lobengula West with his father and three siblings, says he gave up alcohol after realising it would have a negative impact on his career as a footballer although he had been a light drinker.
Thando said he is looking forward to cementing Tsholotsho’s stay in the PSL but in the long run he is aiming at landing a move outside the country.
The centre back said he is looking forward to today’s match pitting his side against Bulawayo giants, Highlanders adding they were confident of staging an upset.
“I think the game against Bulawayo City gave us confidence that we can win games and the game against Highlanders is one of those big games we are always looking forward to and prepare well for as winning it would be a great confidence booster,” he said.
Those who will be at BF today please watch out for a lanky centre back in the Tsholotsho backline, and you might agree with us that he indeed has the heart of a lion.
