January 2019 ISSUE NUMBER 501 R16.00 (VAT INCL.) NAMIBIA N$18.

50

24 YEARS
OF SOCCER
AT ITS BEST

01501

9 771022 381002
2 JANUARY 2019 visit www.kickoff.com

5 Letters
You have your say over the game’s
most contentious issues.
6 The Month That Was
Looking back at the month’s most
memorable moments.
8 Percy Tau
The South African star has taken
the Belgian second-tier by storm,
yet a number of South Africans with
experience in the European country
share their concerns over the forward’s
current situation.
12 Thembinkosi Lorch
Having become an integral part of
the Orlando Pirates team, the in-form
winger discusses what has been going
right as he reveals his dream for the
next stage of his career.
16 Kaizer Chiefs
We analyse where Giovanni Solinas
got it wrong, with Ernest Middendorp
fully aware of the task at hand in his
second spell with Amakhosi.
22 Telkom Knockout Final
We speak to the cup-winning
history-makers at Baroka FC, who
became the first club from Limpopo to
win a top-flight trophy as they now set
their sights on even greater heights.
26 Simon Murray
The former plumber-turned-striker
reveals how he landed up in South
Africa as he compares football played
in Scotland to that of the PSL following
his first half-season at Bidvest Wits.
30 Mosa Lebusa
The Mamelodi Sundowns defender
talks about integrating himself into
his new team, the emotion of leaving
Ajax Cape Town and why he chose
the Brazilians over other suitors.
34 My Dream Team
Nigerian superstar Jay-Jay Okocha
shares with us his star-studded dream
team of world-renowned footballers
he was privileged to share the
pitch with.
36 Poster Power
A pull-out poster of Kaizer Chiefs
midfielder Siphelele Ntshangase.
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
INSIDE
38 Collins Mbesuma
The burly striker speaks of his resurgence
in the National First Division, before
declaring his ambition to claim the PSL’s
Golden Boot for the third time.
42 PSL Veterans
Some of the league’s oldest stalwarts
shoot down the notion of judging a
8 player based on age as they continue
to prove themselves at the highest level
despite reaching the age of 30.
12 46 Paulus Masehe
The Free State Stars veteran reflects
on 17 years in the PSL, missing out on
national team representation and his
regret at starting out as a striker.
50 2018 in Pictures
We look back on a memorable 2018,
with images from some of the most
iconic moments of the past year.
56 My Teammates
30 Jean Munganga gives behind-the-scenes
insight into the Black Leopards squad
as he reveals some of the dressing room
shenanigans of the Limpopo-based
side.
60 Keaghan Jacobs
The history-making South African
reveals the barely believable fairy tale
story of his journey from the dark
depths of the fourth-tier to Scotland’s
top-flight.
38 64 Banyana Banyana
The South African senior national
women’s team made history by
qualifying for the Fifa World Cup for the
first time, as Desiree Ellis and Leandra
Smeda reflect on their impressive journey
while previewing the task ahead.
68 Goodman Mazibuko
The retired Moroka Swallows midfielder
explains why he labels all football people
64
as “crooks” after a difficult end to his
distinguished career in Dobsonville.
71 Secrets of the Stars
Ten things you may not know about
Highlands Park striker Peter Shalulile.
72 Secret Footballer
This month’s Secret Footballer questions
the mindset of any coaching willing
to take on the coaching hotseat at
Chippa United.
JANUARY 2019 1
2 JANUARY 2019 visit www.kickoff.com
 (L-R) Olympique Lyonnais’
Ada Hegerberg (Female Player
of the Year), Real Madrid’s
Luka Modric (Male Player of the
Year) and Paris Saint-Germain’s
Kylian Mbappe (Young Player of
the Year) were the big winners
at the 2018 Ballon d’Or awards
ceremony held in Paris.

news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile JANUARY 2019 3