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Senzo Mbatha: I have ambitions to return to SA

Maverick administrator Senzo Mbatha, who is currently with Tanzania giants Young Africans, says he would be keen to return to South Africa in the future as the country played a significant role in nurturing and putting him on the map.

While he is not certain about his return to his home soil as yet, he believes that “only God knows and what plans he has for him.”

The former Platinum Stars General Manager did not hide that it is not easy being away from home, but his tenacity has helped him settle well in the East African country.

“Look, I am a South African, I was born and raised in South Africa. I have plied my trade and trained in South Africa, so I will not lie to people and say I don’t have ambitions of coming back,” Mbatha told FARPost.

“It is my hope that I go back home. I have a very young family back in South Africa, so I will be returning home. When? I don’t know. Only God knows and what plans he has for me.

“It is not easy being away from home. However, while I’m enjoying my stay here in Tanzania, I will not hide the fact that I will be returning home on one of the good days.”

The ex-Orlando Pirates administrator made the headlines when he resigned from his position as Simba CEO to take up the administrator role at Yanga, who are currently cruising on the summit of the Tanzanian Premier League with 57 points from 23 outings, eight points ahead of arch-rivals Simba SC.

The last time Yanga won the league title was back in 2017, with Simba dominating the past three seasons.

However, since the arrival of Mbatha at Yanga, things have changed for the better. He has helped the head coach Nasreddine Nabi to build a strong team. Mbatha revealed how he has grown as an individual since his move to Tanzania.

“When you’re a foreigner in these parts of the world, a lot is expected from you. You get a lot of attack and support at the same time. You learn new skills, how to be humble, how to accept things that you don’t normally accept in your territory, also learn how to be patient on some issues and understanding the fact that things cannot always go your way,” he added.

“But I never regret any time I have spent here in Tanzania generally. It has been a good learning experience, doing something that is out of my comfort zone and I will cherish this opportunity given to me for the rest of my life. I think when I come back home, I will be a better football administrator than I was before.”

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