2011

Year in review...

Eleven months in, and it's all gone pretty well this year.
After an amazing new year spent with good friends, and good beer (I love that 2M) the year got off to a rather surprising start, with my folks announcing they'd be moving to Maseru. Cue: gleeful rubbing of hands in expectation of much partying and debauchery!

There was to be very little partying though. In fact I've probably held fewer parties in my parents house since they up and left, than when they were here. And none of them have ended with semi clad women running up and down the garden.

After the highs of the best winter in the history of winters last year, this year was always going to struggle. Call it World Cup hang over or whatever but really this winter sucked. It was cold! It was boring! And I spent large chunks of it sick.

I gained lots of weight, had a jol at the July and visited Maseru more often than ever before.

If one were to split the year into three segments, I'd have to say the third part of this year has been most awesome! From the Annual Mollo-Middleton party, to the paradise that was Coldplay, the high of my beloved Lions winning the Currie cup on the same day as Kings of Leon (and the awesome accompanying days in Soweto), and David Guetta, it really has been party time.

As usual, in the love stakes I've blown hot and cold in 2011. Met some really beautiful women. One Arian in particular captured my imaginantion, but sadly, it was not to be.
But all is not lost, for I've reconnected with a former a flame, and I have much hope for the future.

Manchester United came to the party as usual. Winning the Premier league for the 19th time was truly special and as a fan, I was beyond delighted! The red half of Manchester has consistently been enthralled by Sir Alex's men and I think it is most special for those fans, who have grown up and lived in Manchester all their lives.
Meanwhile the less said about Kaizer Chiefs the better. They have really flattered to deceive! As my brother so often states "they are the most consistently inconsistent team in the world". One week they're up, the next they're down. While one's busy mulling that over, we're being told that some members of management were "not elected by the ANC or IFP" that they're there by birthright. Hardly something to be proud of! Anyway I'm over that team!

The ruling party has still not lured me back. Every time I feel that pang of nostalgia, something happens (mostly-though not solely Juju) to remind me why they're such a turn off now.

One thing that has happened is I've learned that dealing with the domestic help is two things. One: a full time job! Two: the most annoying thing you'll ever do. I'm told that's a gross generalisation, be that as it may, it is my reality! I think I'm a pretty patient person, but jeez, this lady has really tested that patience. Definitely one of 2011s lowlights!

But my highlight this year has been setting up this blog! Perhaps it's my slight narssicism, but I've always been a journal writer. Always enjoyed going back and having a look at my often crazy, sometime incoherent thoughts after the fact.
Sharing these thoughts with the ten people that read this has been awesome, and even better has been the positive feedback I've received from the people who enjoy my rantings.

2011 isn't over yet, and it'd be really nice to finish strong. I think we have to. It is our duty and indeed our joy!

20 things that plague my mind...

Questions I suspect even the Naked Scientist would struggle to answer!

1)      Where do your socks go?

You throw both of them into the basket. You do a silent a prayer, and hope that they’ll still be together when they come back. Of course they don’t come back. Just the one does. Grrr!!!

2)      What became of that really pretty girl from Sunday school?

She’s pretty, soft-spoken, and her parents are God-fearing. She’s perfect marriage material. Why didn’t one get her address and keep her as a pen-pal until marriage time? EISH!!!

3)      What does Jacob Zuma say when he’s courting a lass?

He doesn’t seem to fail! Seemingly every member of the opposite sex he looks at, goes weak at the knees. What’s up with that?

4)      What happened on that last night of matric rave?

I was wet, I had half a burger in my mouth and I wasn’t in my bed when I awoke. I have snippets of flashbacks which involve Vodka-Sourz shots, and me being inappropriate (as ever) but nothing concrete. Perhaps it’s for the better.

5)      Is anyone not corrupt at FIFA?

I’m in the midst of reading Foul, the story about the goings on in Zurich. Wow! It doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the people governing the beautiful game. Not particularly inspiring for the average fan like yours truly!

6)      Does Julius Malema believe the stuff he says?

I realise he’s a politician and so there is going to be a fair bit of grandstanding whenever he talks. But, there are some things he says, that make me wonder whether he’s not just being provocative.

7)      What happened to Wesleys’ digital camera? (The one from matric dance)

We were all mates on the table. We all trusted each other. And we’ve all slept at one another’s houses. Only one person on the table didn’t fit into that category... prime suspect much?

8)      WHAT DO WOMEN WANT?

Seriously. What is the female of the species looking for in a partner? I have not made any progress in this regard, and so perhaps it’s time to come right out and ask.

9)      That girl from Vuzu-is it Lalla-why does she speak like that?

It’s like one long sentence and it’s, it’s nauseating really. I can’t watch V-Entertainment because of her. She drives me mad!

10)   Do dentist’s children enjoy going to the dentist?

It’s the trip I hate most. But maybe dentist’s are able to do a PR job on their children, convincing them of how awesome the dentist actually is. I doubt it though.

11)   Does Shiceka feel bad about plundering the states resources?

You had to go stay at a five star hotel because there were mosquitoes in your house? Really? Does he get embarrassed when he reads things like that? Does he drive passed Khayalitsha and think, I’ve really served the people well... Imbecile!

12)   Does anybody feel bad about the mess that was the Arms deal?

I’m aware that arms deals in general are a murky-one might say dirty-business. But so soon into the new dispensation, while we were still feeling warm and fuzzy, people enriched themselves by corrupt means. Do those people regret that?

13)   Is Wouter Basson being serious?

They called you Doctor death. You tried to wipe out a generation of blacks, and yet you are surprised and displeased when they seek to take away your medical practitioners licence? You’re joking right?!

14)   Are Vodacom and RIM being serious?

Sorry, is all that you can say? That only sounded cool when Tracy Chapman sang it. It’s not cool at all when the device I depend on and, the accompanying network give me a sub-standard service. Sorry?! Seriously?!

15)   Do taxi drivers take themselves seriously?

When they’re sat having an after work beer with their mates, do they tell tales of the horror, frustration, and mayhem they’ve caused on the roads? Do they take pride in their days work?

16)   Did I seriously have relations with that girl?

Okay I’m a guy but I’m sure even women have that one dude that they just can’t believe they hooked up with. Sat there with your head in your hands the next morning wondering whether you’re being serious. Or whether it was just a bad dream.  LC anybody?!

17)   Is it true that Russian bear is in fact pure Ethanol?   

Even as you drink it, you can tell that if somebody lights a match anywhere near you, you’re going to catch alight. You’re also a different kind of drunk. Just unruly, and... Different...

Yho!

18)   Does the Crackling Rose have a good nose?

Do they ever have Crackling at wine expos? Does some wine afficianado ever smell it and go   “Yes yes, a good nose. Good flavours”

19)   Did anyone really enjoy Titanic the movie?

C’mon man. You knew what was going to happen. Steve Harvey said it, why were there for two hours? Bring on the water. “I’m the king of the world” Ah shut it!

20)   Did you honestly take time out of your busy day to read this?

Really? You didn’t have something to do that’d help contribute to the economic well being of this country? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it, but go read War and Peace or something! 

An open letter to South African sport:

To whom it may concern,

For many in this country and the world, rugby, cricket, and soccer are just games. However, for a few these sports are more than that. They are the difference between the great mood on Monday, and the “don’t you come near me you chirpy old sod” expression which can regularly be seen on an Arsenal fans face.

In the last couple of weeks, however, I have found myself wearing this expression more and more. I have not changed allegiances with any of my teams. Rather I have afforded, the country’s national teams the freedom of my heart. This is not something new. Even though I’m a naturalized saffa I generally support South African teams. However, what happened over the last two weeks is unprecedented.  All of the national teams disappointed. I used that word specifically, because underneath my anger, and vitriolic outbursts was a very real feeling of disappointment and perhaps even a slight feeling of betrayal.

The Springboks left our shores amidst much fanfare and backslapping. In truth I never expected them to bring back the trophy but sport has taught me to never say never. So I crossed my fingers, wore my jersey and backed the boys one hundred per cent. They were after all the defending champions, and did have a plethora of experienced campaigners who knew how to win the world cup. I need not go in to detail as we all know what transpired. I unlike many South Africans don’t blame the ref. Bryce Lawrence had a shocker and should he and I ever meet in a dark tunnel... But I can’t help but feel disheartened by a team being so dominant and not emerging victorious. Disappointment. Betrayal. Then to top it off, the good people at Lead SA organised the welcome back parade for the boys at the airport. I’m sorry, I wasn’t proud of the boys. I really wasn’t, they had underperformed and they knew it. They were ranked third going into the tournament and got knocked out in the quarter finals. They didn’t even live up to their billing as the third best team at the competition. Disappointed. Betrayed. 

This all happened while I was trying to swallow the bitter pill of Bafana not qualifying for the Nations cup, again! After a choreographed number that would have scored a nine out of ten from most dance judges, and a decidedly distasteful display of unsporting behaviour from former hero Itumeleng Khune, Bafana were left with egg on their faces. They had failed to prepare and in so doing prepared the rest of us to fail. They hadn’t, however, actually prepared us! They’d given us hope. Hope that finally things were coming together. But they hadn’t read the rules... Disappointed! Betrayed!

 Cricket SA... The less said, the better. Duped. Disappointed. Betrayed.

Who would want to be a South African sport fan?

Kind Regards

Eish!  

It’s a strange thing this looking for a wife thing. Strange because there are so many intricacies involved. And awkward because there is no basic manual for it either. What might have worked for my father, may not necessarily have worked for my brother, which in turn may not work for me.

Okay there are the basic principles one presumes.  Everybody enjoys a polite person. And most people prefer what they consider a well dressed person. Most people will also tell you they enjoy a good sense of humour (although there’s no standard measure for this either) and people-most people at least-also enjoy mental stimulation.

I want to say that deep down in their heart of hearts people also enjoy a good looking somebody, but then I think of Wayne Rooney and the fact that he’s not only married, but married to a belter! I suppose beauty really is in the of the beer holder, er, beholder that is.

There is something to having lots of money too. Yep, I’m saying it. There is something attractive about a man with lots of money apparently. Don’t be offended ladies, I am not suggesting you are all gold diggers, but I am yet to meet a middle class woman who has thought Wow, that security guard at work could be my life partner. This of course is just my experience if others have had different experience, then two thumbs up! Let’s be serious here for a second, I am not familiar with many rich guys who are married to mingers either... I am going to quit while I’m ahead lest every woman I know deletes me from their phonebook, or worse yet, their BBM!

I suppose the money thing is linked in some kind of subconscious way to intellect, and ultimately security. I suppose everybody wants to feel their future is secure. I know I certainly don’t want to find myself in the midst of a sub-prime crisis. Or worse yet, a situation where I have to drink Autumn harvest crackling...Again! I digress, because what I’m saying I guess is that woman are also interested in fairly intellectual stable men.

I am trying to find what it is the female species is searching for, so that when I unleash myself on the courtship stage, I don’t have many shortcomings. I’ll always have some, for I am only a man. I bleed blood, and drink water. But my shortcomings should be minimal. This way I can circumvent the lack of manual, and possibly make it up as I go along. Hopefully this will speed up, and make the process of trying to find a life partner less painful...    

Master Key

So this morning as I’m coming back from my JSE run I’m jamming away to some Tsepo Tshola. “I am talking about acknowledgement of quality, that exists in our time” he exclaimed.  That’s all it took to get me thinking. Who can I acknowledge, as quality that exists in my time. There were many, many candidates that came to mind. However, one stood out.

I had just dropped her off at the JSE. One of the most strong willed, independant, intellectual, visionary, and well rounded people I know.

Growing up, I never took much notice of her. She was an older sister like any other. We played and had fun together like any set of siblings, but we also fought and fell out like any set of siblings. Okay, we weren’t really like any regular set of siblings, firstly there was a seven year age gap between us. But, most notably my sister was blind from age ten. The circumstances surrounding her eventual blindness were as bizarre as they were sad, so I shan’t go into them.

Some of my early memories of my sister and I were at the hospital in Bloemfontein where she spent a lot of time-too much-during my childhood. It was always fun though, because we never ran out of things to do. She would teach me nursery rhymes, and we’d sing and just generally make merry.

It never struck me that my sister was in any way different.

Until I was about twenty three, I always thought she was pretty special, until one day it struck me just how special, and why she was so special. She had just completed her post graduate management diploma. My parents were especially proud! It struck me then, that she had gone to “normal” (sighted) school all her life (bar six weeks which I’m told were torturous) and had completed school in normal time, despite being in and out of hospital for three years consecutively. Okay she can’t do math as a result (and her spelling leaves a lot to be desired) of it but, she more than makes up for it, in the amazing other things she’s able to do. I always remember fondly the ovation she got at her graduation ceremony. The hundreds of people there didn’t know her, or her struggles, but they knew what stood before them was “pure class”. Even my mother who is the most conservative person I know-and who had already seen her son graduate from Varsity-was absolutely bursting with pride. Dare I say it, there may even have been a tear in her eye. That’s beside the point though. What was evident to all and sundry was that, here was a young person who had overcome some pretty stern challenges. They didn’t know, what I did and that was, she did it all pretty much with a smile!

By her own account it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. Certainly she had her will tested, and some of the challenges may have left wounds, but the great thing is she soldiered own. She would not take no for an answer!

This may sound like one cliché after the next, but there is nothing clichéd about this lady. She dresses better than anyone I know-and I know some sartorial genuises-and mixes it with the best of them. She’s got a bitingly sharp wit, and sense of humour second to none. She likes to think she can dance but... Well, you can’t have it all now can you?

She’s the most supportive, loving, and loyal friend. She is in all likelihood the greatest sister on the planet, and my early morning debates, discussions, arguments, and jokes with her form a large part of my perspective on life. I suspect one day, she will make somebody an awesome wife, and hope for her that she gets the opportunity to be the amazing mother I know she will be.

In the immortal words of Kaibe “Master Key, ha re tshwere wena, re tshwere vibe!”      

Ode to Partying: Part II

The matric exam period has to go down as the toughest of my life. It really and truly is not for ants that period! You’ve got to have your wits about you, and you can only know it, by experiencing it!

Fortunately immediately thereafter, a pot of gold awaits! I’d heard previous matrics talk about rave with a particular reverence. I, however, didn’t take it too seriously. I figured, we’d had the mother of all parties the summer before that in Plett and St Francis, and wasn’t quite sure how we could top those good times.

Well, did Matric rave show me! It was like something out of a movie. One of those American Pie type escapades where they head out to Cabo St Luca or something. Absolute debauchery!  From the very first moment we arrived-after what was a fun yet tame car trip-the madness began. A couple of lads who’d got their early were already on their second “bomb” of Crackilng. Yes, that’s right Autumn Harvest! It was that kind of holiday.

My travel companions and I quickly realised, that play time was over. It was time to man up. Forget about our party in Plett, this was Umhlanga and it was going to Rock! We got our game faces on and hit the liquor store. I got myself a bottle of Russian bear-Wrestling the Bear-and began what was to be the most intense drinking and partying session of my entire life. This was day one of seven...

The boys and I had been clever, in our choice of accommodation. We were to stay at Jay’s place in Ballito, about twenty minutes from Umhlanga where the madness happened. It meant we were able to get jiggy with the people at party time, but able to recover on our own in the relative seclusion of nearby Ballito. We would be able to have lunch together-Chicken Bun-and then snooze, or go to the beach. As I recall snooze (or pass out from tiredness) was the most popular option. An afternoon nap on the couch, or an actual sleep in bed never failed!

I can’t recall any of the nights in any great detail. Nor in actual fact do I seek to (lest I give myself and my mates a bad name). Well actually I remember one night. My favourite night of rave! I suppose because I can remember it. We stayed in Ballito that night, and our female friends (don’t want to write girl friends lest I send out the wrong message) came over for a night of drinking games. It was I think night three of the great holiday, and for me personally it was bottle number three of the bear.  The girls arrived and we settled in to what would be a night of much laughter and even more drinking. I think the game of choice was “Indian war signs” but I’d be lying if I said I was sure. What I remember clearly was the end of the night. Two mates had hooked up. They had taken their party to a quieter place (they found a room). Now unfortunately we weren’t blessed with heaps of space in our Ballito apartment. It’s a spacious enough place, but just wasn’t designed for twelve I don’t think. Anyhow, another of our girl mates was supposed to share a room with the girl in the twosome. She went in, to try and get some shut eye, but was disturbed by the sound of this couple making out. Cue: madness. She came out to complain to our host that this was not fair and that while she was happy they found a room, she didn’t feel her room was the right room for them. Your average host would have tried to bring down emotions by empathising and offering a helping hand. Not our host! No! He and another mate saw it fit to stoke the fire. We got our friend in question so riled up that she eventually went to confront the couple. I suppose it was one of those “had to be there” moments but, at the time it was hilarious. I believe the quote of the night was “all I can hear is mwah, mwah, mwah”.

The following morning I had an awkward five minutes. I had managed to get to my bed-thankfully-but had forgotten that I’d be sharing said bed with my best female mate. I woke up quite in need of a bathroom but there was a mop of platinum blonde hair on the pillow next to mine. This shocked-and I suppose kind of-pleased me. But I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d wound up next to this mop of hair. I couldn’t remember having gone out, but hey, who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth? So I lay there, waiting.  Waiting to see how much of a stormer I’d played the night before. Imagine my shock and horror when my best mate turned to be the mop of blonde hair. “Hi laddy” were the two words I least expected. So now I was confused. “Err did we?” I enquired “NO” came the definitive-if a touch incredulous answer. She explained that she had snuck off in the middle of the game and sought refuge in the comfort of my bed. I hadn’t picked up a belter. I had merely slept next to one.  Bleak for me!

It was that kind of holiday. One where “the bear” featured prominently and many a funny story which we will never remember-hopefully-were the order of the day. That was truly the best holiday of my life...Until the next summer holiday!

Dear Kaizer Chiefs

An open letter to Naturena

To Whom it may concern,

I have been a fanatic of the mighty Amakhosi since 1989 when I was old enough to understand what a really good team was. That, paired with the fact, my father and brother both supported the black and gold made me swear my lifelong allegiance to the glamour boys from Phefeni. This was not a decision I took lightly. Like every sports fanatic supporting a team is a matter close to the heart. Dare I say it, it’s a matter akin to choosing a life partner.

 For the longest time, supporting Kaizer Chiefs was an absolute pleasure. We had a litany of talented players, and almost always had a progressive coach able to balance the pressure of winning and entertaining the fans. Cup success was always-and I suppose-is still always guaranteed. I had no qualms telling all and sundry that my team was superior to whatever “little team” they supported. I was filled with an enormous sense of pride whenever the gold and black clad boys ran onto the pitch! The players to, always seemed to exude pride and confidence as a result of wearing the glamour boys jersey. Similarly it was always easy to see which players found the jersey too heavy.

 As a relatively young man, I was never privileged enough to see Nelson “teenage” Dlaldla, nor Patrick “ace” Ntsoloelongoe or Zacharia “computer” Lamola. However, I was lucky enough to support a team containing Doctor “16V” Khumalo, Donald “ace” Khuse, Fani Madida, Shane McGregor, Neil Tovey and Lucas “rhoo” Radebe to name but a few. These were superstars in mine and millions of other eyes, who walked on water. It was in essence an all-star team. A status truly befitting a great team like Kaizer Chiefs.  I hardly ever missed Chiefs game on the weekend. This often meant leaving birthday party’s early, but it was always well worth it. The 1992 season when that all-star team fulfilled its promise and won the league was a marker for what I truly believed would be the beginning of the happiest of times.

However, that victory seemed to be the end of the really good times. Suddenly the Amakhosi faithful were having to deal with one or two cup successes a season, while the league constantly eluded us. Enter Ted Dumitru, an old Kaizer Chiefs war horse.  He took charge of an Amakhosi team once again brimming with talent. The good times were back again. John “shoes” Mosheou was undergoing some sort of Indian summer in what we assumed was the twilight of his career. Tinashe Nengomasha was running the midfield like clockwork and our defence was water tight.  We won back to back titles under Ted, and my smile was broad. All the time!

Since then, we have not seen the league. If we’re completely honest we’ve not really come close either. Then the unthinkable happened. The worst thing that could possibly happen, happened. Pirates, the lifelong  sworn enemy virtually did a clean sweep, and they threw it in our faces. They laughed at us. Worse yet, the pitied us.

You know all of this though.

Last weekend, Kaizer Chiefs was comprehensively outplayed by the old enemy in the MTN 8 cup. Some say it was the third time they beat us this season, but I personally don’t count the pre season friendlies. What I found worrisome though, was the manner in which our team seemed to lack creativity, or inspiration. For large parts of Saturday night’s game, it seemed the once mighty Amakhosi were shell shocked.  For it me it seemed we were just waiting for the seas robbers to score. In reply to this, I said some harsh things about our coach on my social networking platforms-and really meant them. But worse was still to come. After a lacklustre, uninspiring performance by a team that is literally the team of millions, our coach flippantly, almost nonchanantly exclaimed “the show must go on”. Huh?! I’m sorry, that it is not at all acceptable. I know, that there are other fixtures coming up, not least another derby with the old enemy next Saturday. But the show didn’t need to go on quite so abruptly. If I’d heard “we had a really bad game today, the players know it we know it and we’re gutted” or even “bad performances are sometimes character building and we’ll bounce back from this” I would have been satisfied. Nope, what we got was the show must go on.

This leads me to my point. Finally. I feel, and have felt for a little while that my support of Kaizer Chiefs is being taken for granted. Yes the slogan is Khosi4Life, and I realise that doesn’t just mean during the good times. I am aware that there will be bad times. But for goodness sake, show me some light at the end of the tunnel! Keep me inspired by getting really top notch signings in the off season. Keep me interested by consistently playing a really good fluid type of football. Keep me wanting more by burying teams under an avalanche of goals. I don’t get that though. Instead I get off season signings I’ve never heard of. I get dull lacklustre football, with the occasional amazing performance. I get “the show must go on”. Well guess what, it doesn’t have to. My heart may want Khosi4Life but my head is telling me, it’s time to wise up. Time to give the local league a break. Thing is I can’t support another team. However, I can choose to just focus on my Man United who offer me all those thing I spoke about!

So leKhosi until such time as you deem it fit to offer those non negotiable I spoke of. Consider my support for you suspended.

Yours Sincerley,

Had enough heartache

Ps. I will watch this weekend’s derby game but with no emotion whatsoever!     

Drowning out The Haka

The New Zealand rugby team has to be the most formidable in the world. Aside from during the world cups, they’re pretty much the best side in the world. They always have the most amazing players! Perhaps they have too many good players. Their rugby is intricate and fluid. They do everything right. Good scrimmaging, as well as a decent defence. They get the basics done right and have a great amount of “razzmatazz” as Minister Mbalula would say. 

I have a gripe with the fellas from the long white cloud though. Their pre game ritual. We are regularly reminded that this is an ancient piece of culture.  We are regularly reminded that we should respect this cultural practice. We are regularly reminded how long this cultural practice has been a part of rugby union. “It’s a tradition ok?!” I think very few people have a problem with this. I’ll talk for myself though and ask, why can’t the All Blacks carry out this cultural practice in their change room? Why does it have to be on the field? Even more than that though, why can’t the challenge be accepted by the opposition crowd chanting Ole Ole Ole? Further still, why can the opposition team itself not accept this challenge by shouting back at the All blacks? I recall one occasion when Corne Krige and his Bok team decided the best way to deal with this challenge was to holler back obscenities at the haka. Well did they receive a grilling in the media?!  Both local and international!

I must admit I was saddened at the reaction to what was I thought an out of the box solution to a problem that had never before had a solution. Such was the ferocity of the outcry, that I was even afraid to voice my objection against the objection of what I thought was a fairly good plan. I did mention to my old timer once on our daily trip to school, that I thought, the Springboks were being treated unfairly and that, there was an element of bullying prevailing in the media and court of public opinion. But that was just my opinion.

All things being equal, I firmly believe that the opposition and the opposition fans should be allowed to respond to this challenge, however, they perceive best. I don’t think there should be a prescription for the acceptable acceptance of this challenge.

It’s a debate that will rage on for some time. Of this I am certain. I am also pretty comfortable in the knowledge that my idea will never be accepted as best practice. It would be nice though, to open the debate and see how many people-rugby people- agree with my “outrageous” point of view.   

Master Key Offers Insight

My sister Makhiba Mollo's cynical, amusing, and thought provoking thoughts on the world!

Utopia;  a world imagined

Amidst all  the  talk these past two  weeks around Julius Malema and his elicit or not elicit trust fund dealings, yesterday (Monday) I heard about a comment made by an Australian girl  in response to young Malema.

While discussing the fall out/brouhaha around everything being said about  the Ratanang trust fund by people with in  the media and with out  the media alike, my brother told me of this comment.

He said that even   an Australian guy  had  posted a comment to Malema on Facebook, stating that he, Malema, hates white people but he likes white peoples things, and to substantiate this,  he pointed out Malimas use of and ownership of cars.

Had I not been as shocked as I was  about this comment, I probably would  have been amused. I must admit though, I had a serious sense of humor failure.

“White people’s things?!” and what exactly are “white people’s things?”.

Evidently the human race  hasn’t developed and advanced, progressed and created,  invented and produced because it is the human race, but because there are white people in it. Really?!  Is this how  prejudice informs us, is this prejudice or pure ignorance, are people really that narrow minded even with all the knowledge in the world today?

In my bewilderment at this (white peoples things) statement, and my realization that I myself had been involved in an exchange with an elderly white lady a few years ago after she chastised my friends and I for wanting to live “Eurocentric:” lives, I got to  thinking.

The details of how the exchange with the elderly white lady began are perhaps not important, save to say that we were having a party and  she was complaining about the level of noise. Her accusation (as this is really all I can  call it) seemed to be one she held as fact/truth/pronouncement, and I was determined to get to the heart of what was meant by “you want to live Eurocentric lives).

She  went on about us driving nice cars, living in  the nice areas,  that we have all this money and we want to lead Eurocentric lives. She mentioned that she didn’t have the opportunity to get an education (another Eurocentric thing I guess, and from her level of thinking, very clearly something that alluded her) but that we are clearly wanting to lead Eurocentric lives and we  don’t have any courtesy (perhaps another Eurocentric trait).

 Much as  we argued, I never did get to know what she meant by this, but one thing for sure, as I was on the balcony of my friends apartment in a complex in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, it wasn’t ambiguous that she had an issue with us (black young people) having   a party in these surroundings).  

So with my creative thinking cap on last night, here is what I imagined.

Imagine a world of only white people, only white people inhabiting all the continents and no other races, what would it look like, and where  would it be today?

 1. The whole world would probably be lit, electricity through out the world;

2. All the roads would be paved and all the traffic lights would  work;

Buildings would be sky high and air conditioned (unless not so desired)

3. Cars, television sets, music systems, IPods, iPads, Phones, and cars would be freely available and everyone would have one.

You see, it would be a hub of culture (I mean art and literature) technological  advancement, progress, development, capacity, advancement and well, advancement.

All the economies would be constantly booming (nix Greece / Italy and America with or without a raised debt ceiling) and the Eurocentric lifestyle would be all the world would know.

This world would be good because by virtue of it only having white people in it, it would only have “white peoples things”.

I’m not sure what the clothing would look like, but that doesn’t matter because what ever form it would be, it would be one that shows advancement, because you see, this is what the world would be.        

  Then I wondered, ok, so say the world was only made up of Chinese people, what would it look like then?

Well, if it only had Chinese people, maybe it would be somewhat similar to that with only white people, but you see, it wouldn’t have white peoples things.

1. So there might be electricity, there might be sky high buildings, there might even be a whole lot of art and literacy (as literate as you can be with those pretty drawings called an alphabet) but you see, there would be no real  technological advancement.

2. There clearly wouldn’t be cars (because these are white peoples things) but there would probably be televisions, music systems, Ipads, Ipods, Iphones and the like, but with one major difference, they wouldn’t be rip offs, because there wouldn’t have been the original off of which to rip them, so that leaves me to wonder, would they then be there at all?

Ok, so let’s  play around some more, what if there had only been Indian people in the world, what would it look like then?

Well:

 1. This world would be rather vibrant, it might also be bereft of cars, oh  wait a minute, there might be a few Tatas around, but other than those, what else?  

2. It would be very colorful, bright, vibrant and  bejeweled.

2. The food would be tasty (although we wouldn’t know because we wouldn’t be there to try it) and everybody would   be spiritual  because they would be practicing of yoga, and there would be peace and harmony.

Ok, ok, because we have to get on with it, then let’s get to the heart of the issue, how about a world with only black people? 

Well this is a lot harder to imagine, not because all blacks do is copulate and have loads of babies and they have really filled the world to the point that really, one can’t imagine one without them, but because it’s really difficult to conceptualize what there would be.

Well, how about what there wouldn’t be:

1.       No  disadvantaged people;

2.        2. No unemployment;

3.        3. No struggling developing market economies;

4.        4.No   poverty;

5.        5. No famine- no crime- no illiteracy- no backwardness.

It would just be the black person and his way of life, him, his animals, his culture, his ubuntu and his um, what else, his um, his way.

No cars obviously, that shouldn’t even be stated, but otherwise it would just be utopia, just the black man, his goodness, his self respect and his dignity.

 You see, black people are actually very good people, they have ubuntu, and they just want to be left alone to live and practice their own culture. Everybody acknowledges that it was wrong to take their land and to oppress them, so in this world, there would   be none of that, they would just live forever with their cows.

Oh well, this is a world we’ll never know, and for as long as we all inhabit the same world (because of someone’s lack of vision) there is no hope.

Oh but wait, there is hope, actually there is hope and salvation.

Thanks to” white people’s things) we have cars now, we have technological advancement, we have culture, and we are also cultured (art and literature) we are able to live in beautiful houses (well if we have money) and we can work in sky high buildings with air-conditioning.

Really, this is truly the way things should be, all of us as one, the  world currently with al the races, and the black people liking the “white peoples things”

Thank you young Australian girl, your comments made me look somewhat cynically at the world, but thanks to that introspection, I see, truly that we (blacks) should be grateful for white people’s things, (NOT) and you young man, should grow up, and if you want to tackle/question  Malema for his ubre   opulent lifestyle, then do so with some intellect please…

The EPL season. My thought on the transfers

The big fours tansfers

Premier League resumption:Transfers

And so the first round of EPL fixtures has come and gone. Fantasy football managers have either licked their wounds, or reminded all and sundry of their superior knowledge of the game. I suspect males across the length and breadth of the world danced a merry jig, when the referee sounded his whistle signalling the recommencement of the greatest spectacle the television has ever offered us! The results were fairly surprising in some games. Not so much in others.

Unsurprisingly Manchester United got off to winning start! After watching their Community/Charity shield performance-Magnificent-it was hard to imagine them going down to Roy Hodgson’s West Bromwich Albion.  That West Bromwich side is well organised, and are fairly dangerous at set-piece time, but they’re limited in terms of quality. Teams will find it difficult to get a result at the hawthorns though this season, and West Brom may spring a few surprises there too. United though shaded them on Sunday.  Mainly due to the extra bit of class they possess. In my humble opinion Ashley Young will prove to be a good acquisition. He’s adding great value already with his pace and guile down either flank. Phil Jones looks a really good buy too. He’s big and strong, built like a real British centre half, and looks comfortable on the ball. The much maligned Davide De Gea will grow into the role too. I am very sure the Spaniard can and will adapt to the English game. Having seen him play for Atletico Madrid a couple of times, and seen him at the U21 world champs, I do believe he is the real deal. He’s going to have prove his mental toughness sooner rather than later though because everyone is waiting for him to be the next United keeper flop a la Massimo Taibi, Mark Bosnich, and some say Fabien Barthez(though I’m not convinced on the last one). All came in with plenty of expectation heaped on them, and left without having enhanced their reputations!

Liverpool has been really busy this off season, acquiring some half way decent players too. Jordan Henderson looks good-though a little over hyped by an overly enthusiastic British press-and Stewart Downing is always a threat flying down the left wing. I’m not entirely sure about how good a buy Jose Enrique is, I don’t remember him setting the scene alight at Newcastle but I suppose we should wait and see.  Charlie Adam is for me, the scousers best buy. He’s got a great left foot, a good football brain and will regularly find Andy Carroll. It seems a balanced Liverpool side although, they are still a little under done at the back in my opinion.

Chelsea has surprisingly resisted the urge to splash the cash as has become customary of the north Londoners. Romelo Lukaku looks a good long term replacement for Didier Drogba, and perhaps he’ll be able to strike up a better understanding with Torres.  Getting a Sturridge who looked full of goals at Bolton will also be good, though it remains to be seen whether he will actually stay. The rumour mill is abuzz with talk of him being included in a swap deal to move across London to Tottenham (where I’m sure he’ll loot three points from a couple of teams-is it too soon?). It remains to be seen whether the Modric Deal does go through. If it does, then I suspect that will be the best piece of business done this off season by any of the top four teams.

Arsenal seems to be becoming a selling club. The Ajax Amsterdam of the EPL! They’ve made some fairly obscure signings in my view. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks a decent prospect, and I’m assured young  Jenkinson is a talented centre half, but these are hardly names that will strike fear into in opposition hearts. Gervinho looked pretty good in France, but so did Maraoune Chamakh... perhaps he’ll find his feet quicker than Chamakh has done. The gunners have lost Fabregas and it seems only matter of time before they lose Nasri. The only really world class players they have, are moving to pastures new. I wonder whether Arsene Wenger will do the long suffering Arsenal fans a favour and buy some quality big name players? I’m not holding my breath.

Man City seems to be positioning itself as the new Chelsea. They are splashing out mega bucks at every turn! Clichy blows hot and cold, but he’ll in all likelihood settle in nicely into the fullback role. Savic I haven’t seen much of, but perhaps he’s City’s diamond in the rough. The big money move of the off season has been Sergio Aguero. I think he will be a good signing for “the noisy neighbours”. He will in all likelihood score a bucket load of goals for the blue half of Manchester, and the partnership between him and Edin Dzeko may prove very fruitful!

In my eyes the team that’s done the best business in the off season is not a top four team. The black cats-Sunderland have been very shrewd and bought very well this English summer.  Their three best buys for me, are John O’Shea, Wes Brown and Seb Larsson. The trio will bring quality, stability and irreplaceable experience to a budding top seven side. They’ll be difficult to beat as always at home, and may nick a couple of surprise results away from home.

Bring on the weekends and the remote I say! It’s time for soothsayers and naysayers alike to keep quiet. And time for the new signings to show us a thing or two!

Test Cricket

I am by no means a purist. In fact I often times speak of purists with a measure of disdain. Partly because I’m not entirely sure what purists value add is. Why should sport not be dynamic like everything else? Why should sport not change-organically-with the requirements of its viewing public?

I love test cricket. I love it because of that old age cliché, “the contest between bat and bowl”. As a self styled quick bowler in my time, I have really started to resent the dominance of the bat over the ball in recent times. “It’s for entertainment. Fans want to see sixes!” Do they? Perhaps they do, but more than sixes I suspect fans want to see a contest. If you skew the contest towards a particular side, said contest loses its validity. Essentially what you end up watching is a bit of slap and tickle.

T20 is of course the greatest culprit in this regard. The fielding restrictions favour-pretty heavily-those that wield the willow. I keep hearing commentators talk about how bowlers have worked hard at their skills, and have found a way to counter this skewed contest. Frankly I don’t believe it. The bowlers have got some cool new innovations like the slower ball bouncer (I love this with all my heart) and other such wily deliveries. But really this is all the poor bowlers have. Wily innovations. The odds are still stacked up pretty heavily against them! Besides, as a quick you’re only allowed to bowl that bouncer of yours once an over. Variation is supposed to be the new key to success. Why should the bowlers have to learn all these new tricks? Bowl to a ridiculous field. Learn how to bowl the slower ball out of the back of the hand as well as with the fingers. Vary the pace. Get your line and length spot on. Bowl the Yorker from the first delivery. Gee whiskers!  What are the batsmen doing? Waiting for you to make one slight error, so as to punish you by slapping the ball straight back over your despondant head for maximum. As a member of the fast bowlers union, I can confirm that there is no fate worse than this. Imagine you’ve already bowled your bouncer for the over and can’t counter the Batmen’s insolence with a blazing jaw high quick one. Look at the run rates now, if a bowler goes for less than 6 an over, he’s considered miserly.  

This is all beside the point though. You see test cricket is still a genuine competition between the two. The bowler must out think the batsmen, who in turn must second guess the bowler, and ensure he ends up on top. The tactical nature of this form of the game is entirely captivating!

 I fell in love with Test cricket by accident. It was a game between England and South Africa that got me hooked. The game was actually between Allan Donald and Mike Atherton. Cricket lovers will know what I’m talking about. It was riveting! Intensity like that, I have not seen in another sport! If we can get more contests like that, then I guarantee more people will be drawn to the sport, and we won’t have to talk about creating a world test match cup. This is where my contradiction comes in. While I’ve stated that I am in no way a purist or a fan of such people. I am forced to stand with them on this one. Leave the game of test cricket alone! The spectators/supporters have got what they require in T20 and ODI. Let us have something too.       

I hate Carling black label! Through no fault of its own though, I think I just consumed too much of it in my heady days of youth. Too much of a good thing and all the rest of it...  But all that’s neither here nor there. You see the contempt with which I hold the beer is the same contempt, I hold the new competition it sponsors! Who would’ve thought that a seeming match made in heaven (beer and football) would make such a horrible partnership!

First and foremost, why is the Charity spectacular being replaced? It was in my eyes, one of-if not the best local pre-season competition. The Vodacom cup is pretty cool when United come through, but it has no edge because the only competitive game is the Thursday derby between the Soweto giants. The Mangaung cup, well quite simply, my team doesn’t play in it, so I don’t watch. The charity spectacular was a football fans dream! Particularly if you are a supporter of the mighty Amakhosi! We won that competition, the most times, but that’s no surprise. We are after all the cup kings! But it wasn’t just the idea of the Glamour boys zasePhefeni  emerging victorious that inspired one to get tickets for the spectacular as it was once known. It was the idea of a whole day of football! The live entertainment acts. The possibility of a derby final, if the derby hadn’t been served up as a semi final. The opportunity to look inside the coach’s head and see what the plans were for the squad, for the ensuing season.

It was like watching an entertaining version of “the making of”. All the right elements were in place, and more often the not, the end product was magnificent! As a veteran of over a dozen Charity Spectaculars, I can’t remember ever witnessing a bad one. Even the rain soaked edition in world cup year at the Bafokeng sports palace was a lively well attended event. Well for the first game at least, after Chiefs lost the first semi final, the myriad of Amakhosi fans decided an afternoon at the beer garden was a better idea than sitting around watching “small teams” (Pirates vs  Platinum Stars). But those of us who stayed on, still had a magnificent time.

It’s fair to argue that the quality of the soccer was not always particularly good, however, as a fan one had primed himself for that. It was after all a pre season friendly competition. And yes, you can have friendlies between Chiefs and Pirates... They just have more bite than other friendlies out there.

It was great though because in terms of interactivity, the fans chose which teams they wanted to see in the completion. If Sundowns, had made some big signings, invariably they’d be there. I always liked when unfancied teams made the cut as well. I remember one year Amazulu-with its terrible twins Si Magagula and George Deanerley-taking part. And off course more recently, it was great to have Dinaledi (Platinum Stars) competing in their own backyard. So the competition in essence was open to the whole league. Okay, in reality the other fourteen teams were competing for two spots as it was unthinkable that either one of the two Soweto giants would have been left out. But every team had a fair chance of competing in the spectacular.

The new competition, however, is nothing like the old one in terms of opportunity, or even jamboree! This new competition is exclusively between Chiefs and Pirates.  There is an interactive angle with the fans being allowed to be the coach, by choosing the starting eleven of both sides. This is a better idea in theory than in practice. The fans don’t know who is carrying what injuries. Who’s got what fitness problems at that stage of the season, and who may or may not be battling with a psychological problem or whatever else. All the fans seek is to see their favourite players.  The balance of the side, is neither here nor there. An opportunity to see untried, or untested players is not too important to the paying public.

Add this to the idea that it reinforces the boo-brigades point-they know all about soccer and ‘their’ players’-and you have a in my humble opinion created a ticking time bomb. By essentially agreeing with the fans (as well as the boo-boys) that they are the all knowing, you’ve opened yourself up to a situation where in the future, the fans are going to demand to have their voices heard. This may not always be for the better(ment) of 

the team.

I empathise with Chiefs head coach VV who wandered what the point of him even being on the sideline was. But even more than that I empathise with him, because he’s lost an opportunity of one last dress rehearsal before the main show one week later!

I’ll have to deal with this for the next four years. Let’s hope thereafter, people will come to their senses and return the Charity spectacular to its rightful place! Perhaps by then I’ll have re-acquired my taste for Black label too...      

Ode to Partying

Ode to Partying part i

Going out with a really good group of mates is the most fun a person can have with his pants on...In my time I’ve had some utterly memorable (it doesn’t matter that I can’t actually remember them) jols with the ridiculous group of people I call my mates. We have been doing this going out thing for the better part of a decade now (well legally at least) and for some reason it doesn’t get tired!

When we were fourteen odd we used to have really fun house parties. Boys and girls talking up a storm. Planning and plotting. Trying to hook one friend up with another, with the ultimate goal of getting them to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Loads of marshmellows and candy in general was consumed at these “get togethers” while learning  the fundamentals of interacting with women folk. Important lessons learned in the quest to eventually be half way decent party revellers!

In to our latter teens our friendship group, sadly, began to fragment. The lure of older boys and their cool party’s for the girls, and the lure of younger girls and the accompanying hero worship for the lads. It also became fashionable for us to indulge in a bit of barley and hops.  It was a carefree period, and we made the absolute most of it! No one ever had to drive, somebody was bankrolling our partying, and although what we were doing was illegal we were generally carrying on pretty safely.

There were many brilliant nights! Out of this world in fact, but nothing compares to the summer of 2001! The longest, most memorable party-despite it having morphed into one night-ever! It was the first holiday all the lads had gone on together and it was our first taste of relative freedom, and by golly we made hay while the sun shone! We partied until the sun literally came up while consuming copious amounts of Gods nectar! Our following December holiday was to be the legendary Matric rave, so we decided this would be a prequel, a dress rehearsal if you please. Boy did we dress, and rehearse! Frolicking on Look out beach and its deck by day, and throwing our good names away at The Cave and Vip by night. Many tequilas were consumed and even more girls invited for a dance. Many girls declined...Some didn’t! Those that didn’t were great early morning conversation pieces in our little six by ten square feet bedroom. Said bedroom was furnished with a bunk bed and finished with a wide array of clothes strewn across the length, and breadth of the room. Boys will be boys. Five of them sharing a room like that was a natural disaster!

Till this day whenever I look back at that holiday-which included a cringeworthy blonde-cum-ginger hairdo on my part-my heart is filled with warmth and elation.  We solidified our bond of friendship, through many a conversation, argument and beer. We even invented a drinking game. The much vaunted but sadly infrequently played Strip-hous-flicking. It was the greatest time of my life... Until my next December holiday. 

Friendship zone

Relations between males and females are complex. I suspect this has always been the case, I mean judging from the whole Adam and Eve hoopla, I don’t suppose my suspicions are from the truth! I’m not entirely sure what exactly complicates these matters, but I certainly wish I knew. It would make my life much better!

I have been in this murky world of male and female interactions for some fifteen years now, and of all the difficult challenges in life this is the most difficult! I have had little success in simplifying this situation. I do not seek this clarity for the sake of the broader male species, but rather for myself. I really like women. They are a Gods way of letting us know he exists. I am not just referring to their appearance-although it is well documented that I am a fan, a huge fan of their form and appearance. It is their gentle touch, gentle disposition, and general warmth towards us males that makes me really love them. I am not just talking about my mother and sisters here. I have made many female friends growing up and they have played a major role in shaping my perspective on life.

The problem or challenge or whatever you want to call it is that many of these female friends have not been friendship material to begin with. In fact many of them have started out as girlfriend/partner material for me.  Some of them even know that my interest in them stretched further than the friendship branch but that’s neither here nor there. What I often wonder though is how I get myself into the “friendship zone” quite so often. I am a friendly person by nature, but I seem to be particularly good at making friends with women that I’m attracted to. This is a curse I would wish on no man! All too often I’ll be trying to court a lady, and she’ll be trying to make a new friend! The courtship never wins out I might add.

Interestingly though I think this problem has contributed to making me a more rounded individual. The amount of rejection I’ve taken has really toughened what was a fragile character. As a youngstar of 12/13 I struggled from a serious lack of confidence. Partly due to being a fat kid, and partly I guess from being “different”. Different in the sense that most of my mates were Caucasian and I was (am) not. When we chased after girls as youngstas we’d invariably chase after white girls. I don’t suppose it’s a particularly good look-when you are a 12 year old white girl-being with a fat, black guy. No hate it’s just that at that age conforming is king!  This is not a black white thing, nor fat thin thing, I am merely trying to be candid about my background.

   So now that my character has been reinforced and my friendship pool widened, it is time to get to the bottom of this friendship zone situation! I will be steering as far clear from this zone as possible for the next little while I try and fathom this male female interaction, and try and right Adam’s wrongs(if he has any).

Soccer Development: The Prequeal

The prequeal to the piece I put up yesterday. Essentially just more thoughts...

Serious about Development

As someone who’s grown up with a great affection for sport I have always wondered how great sportsmen and women emerge and from whence they emerge. It always boggled my mind that these sports stars often came from far, far away places. While it gave me the impression that true talent will always find a vessel and a platform to be expressed it always left me thinking about the plethora of talent left out. The millions of girls and boys with unimaginable talent that I’ll never get to feast my eyes on. This bothers me. As a sports fan, I want to see all the talent! I want it to be at my fingertips. Every time I flick my remote I should be seeing the most amazing athlete I’ve ever seen until the next time I flick my remote and see the most amazing athlete I’ve ever seen. Every news article I read should be making me aware of a talented youngster I need to watch!  

It begs the question; how do we ensure this talent doesn’t slip through our fingers. And by our, I’m referring to the South African sport loving public. The millions of South Africans who regularly go to stadia. The millions who get in to their teams colours even if they’re team are playing a thousand miles from where they sit. Most importantly I’m talking about me. For too long I’ve suffered in silence. It’s time I got my just desserts for being such a loyal fan. It’s time I was rewarded with even more talent! It’s out there! I know it’s out there!

I say it’s time to go out and find it. To bring it back, cultivate it and nurture it so that I and millions of other fanatics can be entertained.  It’s the only way sports can grow in this country.

My particular love and topic of discussion is football, or soccer, or even diski if you so please. This is a sport enjoyed and/or followed by the majority of the people in this country. It is a sport with a potential to be the greatest economic equalizer in Jacob Zuma’s land. The truth lies in development. It is of the utmost importance that soccer be developed. It is everybody’s duty-and ultimately joy-to ensure that there is sustainable development in this particular genre of sport. We the football loving masses of this country require large scale investment from big business, government and clubs to reach this initiative. We need the schools of excellence to be resurrected and run efficiently. We need to be certain that the kids attending these academies are getting the very best education, both of the scholastic and football varieties!

These are goals that are wholly attainable if we put our heads and our hearts in the right places. I have very often been told-by non sport followers-that sports fans are irrational. This is not something I’m able to argue. Not rationally anyway, but it’s spoken of like it’s a fault, when really it’s an entirely understandable phenomenon.  I mean how can watching the silky skills of Doctor Khumalo not move you to scream and shout? How can Jerry Skosana’s goal scoring antics not leave you absolutely heartbroken? Need I even talk about the absolute tatters ones emotions are left in after being mesmerised by Roger Feutumba and his most elegant left foot?  You’ll forgive my partiality for as humble fanatic of the boys in gold and black it is difficult for me to talk of these players without prejudice.

I digress, however. What I wanted to talk about was a feasible way to concluding the question of development, and by feasible I don’t mean engaging all stakeholders. Well I do. However, what I want, no what we need is actions. We need companies like Supersport, SAB, SASOL, NIKE, ABSA and the incumbent Transnet to buy into this idea. We need government to put their money where their mouth (I refer to one Butana Komphela) is. We need SAFA to assist us with their human capital for technical abilities. Then we require education specialists to come to the party so as to provide these children with beyond sufficient scholastic training. This has to be a holistic approach.  An academy that’ll produce and indeed harness some of the precocious talent we undoubtedly have in this country.  

If those 6 entities would be willing to part with R10 million each, you’d have a pool of R60m and if an education specialist like David Wylde were to agree to join in such a project and SAFA’s technical people like Stanley Tshablala and/Serame Letsoka were to also buy in to such a project. We’d be some way towards building this dream. 

Development: Just a thought

Overheads: Teachers R200k pm

                      Up keep of grounds R15k pm

                      Logistics-transport to different schools, school trips R75k pm

                      Daily catering

                      Teas R20k pm

                      Technical associates-Football R30k pm

                      Dietician, Physio Therapist/Masseuse, Physical Trainer

Total: R40.8m pa

Development

As somebody who has grown up essentially in the lap of luxury, the topic of rural development has always been one close to my heart. I’ve never understood what entitled me to have the best education money can buy and not my fellow man. In a perfect world quality education is a right and not a privilege! It is thus, I have decided to try as hard as possible to get us living in the perfect world.

There are multinational companies in this country with the resources to lead us to the afore mentioned utopia. However, even more meaningfully there are young adults who are eager to develop themselves into future leaders and sports stars on our continent and indeed globally! The onus is on those of us who are educated and have the means to ensure these dreams become a reality.

A five step programme is required. A programme which requires premium quality education, long term psychological development, top quality technical football skill development,  lasting life skills, as well as a firm grounding and development of individuals.

Allow me to expand on each of these aspects which will ultimately lead to the successful development of tomorrow’s leaders in the soccer fraternity.

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

·         Quality education is a key factor in the growth and development of any successful person. This is no different in the case of sports stars. By ensuring these future leaders are educated you help prolong their careers as well allow them to diversify their personalities, thus, creating well rounded balanced individuals.

·         In order to obtain this objective an educator without equal is required. David Wylde springs immediately to mind. The former headmaster of St Stithians College as well as St Andrews as well as former President of ICP is a world renowned education specialist with a knack for churning balanced well rounded individuals. His understanding of the nuances of dealing with adolescent boys is most likely his greatest asset. His record speaks for itself and all one need do is look at the results of his alma mater as well as St Stithians.

LONG TERM PSYCHOLIGICAL DEVELOPMENT

·         In trying to achieve our goal it is important to take a realistic approach to the world. There are many external influences, particularly in the world of professional sport. It is critical that the effects of these influences are minimised by professional assistance while the players are still young. This may well tie up with the topic of key life skills. A man who understands and respects himself is likely to understand and respect his profession and, thus, excel in it.

·         An experienced and shrewd psychologist would be required to undertake this most serious of objectives. Someone like Sue Mackenzie who has worked very successfully within this field would be well qualified to hold such a position. As a “client” of hers myself, I can attest to her brilliance.

TECHNICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

·         Ideally professional footballers should be receiving technical coaching from as early as ages 8 and 9. In this case the students arriving will be 13 or 14 which is not too late to for key fundamental skills training.

·         The key to this objective being reached is off course the scouting of talent early. Once the scouting has been completed it is important to have these kids receiving the coaching from an experienced and steady hand. A man like Stanley Tshabalala who has in the past worked as a development coach for SAFA would be instrumental in scouting players. A man like Serame Letsoke who has coached with some success in the age groups would offer great value in imparting his football knowledge as well as technical skills.

LIFE SKILLS

·         This is an objective closely linked to both, the grounding and development of individuals as well as the psychological development of these future stars. The skills included would be dealing with the usual adolescent skills. Responsibility would be a key lesson. Too often professional sports stars and in the main footballers are not willing to take responsibility for their actions.

I am deeply passionate about a pipe dream like this becoming a reality. An academy or school like this would in all likelihood change the future of a number of immensely talented young individuals. It would return hope to some of the most hopeless communities. Finally and perhaps selfishly it would allow me the opportunity to enjoy the skills of some diamonds that maybe otherwise would not have been found. In order for a piece of charcoal to be priceless, it must be cut, washed and polished. Our aim is to produce diamonds of the highest quality!  

I'm no expert at development, but here are some of my thoughts on developing sportsmen, in particular footballers(coz it's the sport I love) in this country. Hope it makes some degree of sense.