‘I was wrong’ – Tebogo Langerman on leaving Sundowns
Former Mamelodi Sundowns left-back Tebogo Langerman has acknowledged that his move away from the club to Moroka Swallows in 2021 taught him the toughest lesson in football.
Langerman spent nine successful seasons at Masandawana, winning seven league titles and a CAF Champions League.
His stay at the club came to an end in 2021, a few months after coach Pitso Mosimane had left to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly. But his stay at now-defunct Swallows only lasted for six months after issues of non-payment of salaries.
The 38-year-old spent two years without kicking a ball after leaving Swallows before he resurfaced at SAFA Limpopo ABC Motsepe League side Sunrise FC, where he is a player-coach alongside fellow ex-Sundowns defender Punch Masenamela.
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“My toughest lesson was me leaving Sundowns for Swallows. I thought by leaving Sundowns, things would be better outside, but I was wrong,” Langerman told FARPost.
“That’s something that made me hate football. I really loved football, but at Swallows hai, I don’t even know what to say.
“It was my first time in my career [to go without a salary]. I played for [Bidvest] Wits, SuperSport [United] and Sundowns and there was no such thing as non-payment [of salaries],” he added.
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“I went to Swallows towards the later stages of my career, and that’s where I needed money. So, when there was non-payment, I decided to quit football. That’s when I lost my love for football.”
“I have made peace with it, and I have moved on. But it was not easy. It happened again at Swallows whereby I was forced to leave [because of salary issues].”
Langerman currently holds a SAFA D Coaching License. He says it’s his intention to pursue a C License but his focus now is on helping Sunrise gain promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
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