Ex-Kaizer Chiefs star Nomvethe urges South Africa to follow Eto'o and Cameroon’s lead

Bafana Bafana legend Siyabonga Nomvethe believes South Africa and other African countries should entrust former players with leading their football associations.

The former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates striker has hailed the election of Samuel Eto’o as Cameroon Football Federation president and he is impressed with how the retired striker is running the organisation. 

Eto'o has made some bold decisions including appointing his former Cameroon teammate Rigobert Song as the Indomitable Lions permanent head coach. 

“It is a big thing and we appreciate that happening especially because they were big players in their time,” Nomvete said on The Citizen. 

“They played at the top level and made their name."

South African Football Association is currently led by a former politician in Danny Jordaan and there had been calls for Bafana legend Lucas Radebe to run for the presidency in the past.

Nomvethe, who is currently serving as AmaZulu FC assistant coach, strongly believes that retired footballers should be running football associations in order for them to apply the knowledge they got during their playing days.

"It is important for people like them to get into leadership positions in their local associations and impart the knowledge that they have acquired," the former Udinese and Salernitana star added. 

“It brings us back to the fact that former players are the best for taking our game forward. Their progress is inspiring us that we need to take ownership of our football.”

Ivorian legend Didier Drogba recently tried to follow in Eto’o’s footsteps in his native country, but the former Chelsea striker was eliminated in the first round of voting last month.