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Jermaine Seoposenwe, Banyana BanyanaBackpage

Ex-Banyana Banyana forward Jermaine Seoposenwe suggests 'SAFA, Desiree Ellis' staff & Culture' forced her to retire - 'I haven’t been happy in the national team but I will fight!'

  • Seoposenwe has been key player at SA for 15 years
  • She recently played at WAFCON
  • Attacker justifies her exit
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Recently, South African forward Jermaine Seoposenwe announced her retirement from Banyana Banyana after the completion of WAFCON in Morocco.

    The 31-year-old helped Mzansi finish fourth in the biennial competition, after falling to Nigeria's Super Falcons in the semi-final and Ghana in the third-place play-off.

    She made a total of 112 caps in the 15 years she played for the national team, scoring 20 goals in the process.

    Seoposenwe has now revealed she was forced to retire.

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  • WHAT SEOPOSENWE SAID

    “It’s tough to walk away from my teammates, tough to walk away from the people of South Africa and how they’ve supported me,” she opened up MSWOn947.

    “And before I go any further, I want to thank them for all, the messages that they’ve sent me and just the love that they showed me over the years. And so, it’s tough to make that decision. But it’s something I feel like I had to do at the end of the day.

    “I haven’t been happy in the national team for a long time. And obviously, just continuing to push through those emotions and those feelings in that setting is tough. I think at the end of the day, you are a senior player, so you carry a lot of pressure as well within the football side of it.

    “And so, the emotional side of it I just want to love football, like, I don’t want to be unhappy. I don’t want to continue to struggle for things that as a national team player, you deserve. And so, I just think for my happiness, for my wellbeing I don’t want to lose the love for football as well and I think I was also beginning to lose that love for football and kind of growing resentment for football," Seoposenwe continued.

    “So, I think that’s not something I’ve experienced anywhere, maybe I think a little bit in Spain, but it’s just a feeling that I don’t want to feel. And so, I was like, it’s time for me to go at the end of the day. if you are happy in a certain environment, I think that’s how I feel in Mexico. That’s how I feel within; real happy, vibrant, just a completely different person.

    “And then coming back to the national team, you know, seeing myself it’s crazy to me sometimes, just to sit down with myself and just know the difference in how I feel when I’m with my team in Mexico, and then why I’m in the national team, it’s not who I am.

    “I think for the couple of games that I’ve been back as well I think people who really know me can see that I’m a shell of myself within the national team, and so I just didn’t want to be that person anymore. I know what I can bring to the national team. I know what I mean to my teammates and the people of South Africa," the atatcker added.

    “And I just felt like out of respect for everyone that’s involved within the national team and the people of South Africa, and just the performances that I feel like I’ve given since I gotten back, is just not up to my standard.

    “And so, if I am going to be this person then what’s the use of continuing to basically force myself to come and play football, which is a thing that I love so much, like, out of everything, besides my family and friends. Something I love so much, is the passion that I have for the game, everything that I’ve put into it, it’s not who I am. And so, I just felt like it’s best that I walk away and not decline in football," she concluded.

  • AND WHAT IS MORE

    Seoposenwe has further alleged on her X post that it was SAFA and the coaching department that forced her to retire.

  • Danny Jordaan, SAFABackpage

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    These are grave accusations printed by the former forward, and SAFA should come out clear on this and tell their side of the story.

    It also raises more questions on why star player Thembi Kgatlana opted against taking part in WAFCON, although she cited personal reasons.

    Coach Desiree Ellis has also been working, allegedly, without a contract, which poses the question: why?

  • Desiree Ellis, Banyana BanyanaGetty

    WHAT NEXT?

    Football lovers in the country, alongside all the stakeholders, will be keenly following this developing situation and will see how SAFA will handle it.

    Banyana Banyana have talented players, and it will be a shame to see them quitting on the grounds of unprofessionalism.

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