‘I am having sleepless nights’ – Former Sekhukhune winger pours his heart out
Former Sekhukhune United winger Sibusiso Hlubi has poured his heart out on what he believes led to his downgrading straight from the DStv Premiership to the ABC Motsepe League.
At the age of 29, Hlubi is now part of SAFA ABC Motsepe League side NC Professionals. They are currently participating in the national playoffs for the two promotion spots to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Hlubi had been a free agent since he was released by Sekhukhune United in February 2022. He got a lifeline when NC Professionals offered him a deal.
In an interview with FARPost during the national playoffs in Upington, Hlubi detailed the lessons he learnt from his ‘downfall’.
FORMER SEKHUKHUNE UNITED WINGER SIBUSISO HLUBI OPENS UP ON DWINDLING FOOTBALL CAREER
“It hurts [and] I have sleepless nights,” he told FARPost. “The sleepless nights are whereby you know you have talent and what you can do, but you are in the lower leagues.
“On the other hand, the money is not good in the league that you are playing. So our sleepless nights are there. As a footballer, you got to have someone closer to you because footballers go through a lot. So if we can have someone closer to you so that you can share the pain with. I think we can have fewer suicides,” said an emotional Hlubi.
FORMER SEKHUKHUNE WINGER ADMITS HIS MADE COSTLY MISTAKES THAT TAUGHT HIM A LESSON
“People think our downfall as players is drugs or alcohol. But the pain we get through football is too much. Now, when you appear from nowhere, people think you are living large. But they don’t know that most people in football need pills to sleep. They can’t just go to sleep in sober minds. That’s because we go through a lot.
“I do get help. But firstly, because you get help, you need to accept that you made mistakes. You can’t get help without acknowledging the mistakes because it’s like you won’t get help,” he said.
“One of the mistakes that I made is that my head is hot. If something is wrong, it’s wrong. Regardless of whether you are a coach or any position. If you did wrong, I will tell you. Maybe that’s my downfall: I talk too much. Even with the players, if you do something wrong, I clarify you right there. Rather than leaving it and it becoming a big deal. So for me, if you do wrong and I tell you, some people say he thinks he knows better. But I am not like that. It’s how I grew up.
“I think my downfall was because of certain things I didn’t pick up at an early stage. But now I am still playing, and anything is possible. There are many things [I did] at that time I was a youngster. Many things were coming, many wrongs. Many wrong Information to people from me,” added Hlubi.
“I learnt that I have to make myself happy first and my family. Also to concentrate on football only because there are so many things outside of football to deal with.
“I am here down [in the ABC Motsepe League] and have to work my way up. So there is nothing I can say, but I just have to work hard. I still have energy and the legs to go back [to the PSL].”
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