Retired PSL attacker Sifiso Myeni has revealed the coach who not only gave him a chance but also profoundly impacted his game, shaping him into the player he became.
Myeni’s professional career spanned several prominent clubs, including the now-defunct Moroka Swallows and Bidvest Wits, Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, the former TS Sporting FC, and most recently, Botswana’s VTM FC.
A highlight of his time with Pirates was his contribution to the team’s 2011/12 treble-winning season. The Sea Robbers secured the Premiership title, the MTN8, and the Telkom Knockout Cup [now known as the Carling Knockout Cup].
Later, during his second spell with Bidvest Wits, Myeni added another league title to his accolades, winning the 2016/17 championship. He further demonstrated his versatility by winning the MTN8 trophy with SuperSport United in the 2017/18 season.”
MYENI’S TRIBUTE: DE SA, THE COACH WHO BELIEVED
Former winger Myeni has identified Roger De Sa as the most influential coach in his career, crediting him with providing his first opportunity in professional football.
Their professional relationship began at Bidvest Wits from the 2008/09 season through the 2011/12 campaign. They later reunited at Orlando Pirates for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons.
“Too much impact, and he’s the best. That’s why when I announced my retirement from playing football, he gave me a call and said, ‘I didn’t expect that from you’. He gave me an opportunity to be Sifiso Myeni and showcase what I can do,” Myeni told FARPost.
“No one wanted to give me a chance. I always tell people that I didn’t take a week or two months of training at Wits. He spotted me on the second day on trial, and he said, ‘You have something’. On the third day, I went to sign the contract.
“He had faith in me; he made me captain, and I was not even thinking of being a captain. I couldn’t even believe the players that I captained. I had Derick Spencer, Stanton Fredericks and Mbulelo Mabizela. Those players are the ones who carried me to be the captain I became.
“Roger took my career to another level when I was still young. You know, as a player, you’re good. But I had a coach who was not only a coach to me but a father figure because I had just lost my father.”
RELATED STORY:Â Sifiso Myeni explains how Botswana move happenedÂ
