- Mthembu reveals difference between Bucs and Chiefs
- Soweto giants had a dispute for the striker
- He compares Chiefs and Pirates in professionalism
WHAT HAPPENED? The story of how Mthembu joined the Buccaneers is one that shook Mzansi football. Some 15 years ago, the Buccaneers and the Glamour Boys both claimed to have signed the player from Maritzburg City, and the matter had to be resolved at the Premier Soccer League's dispute resolution chamber.
Pirates claimed to have signed Mthembu first, meanwhile the player was training with Amakhosi and even collected a winners' medal in the MTN8 final where Chiefs beat Mamelodi Sundowns in 2008. The PSL's dispute resolution chamber ruled that indeed, Mthembu, 21 at the time, was a Buccaneer and his contract was valid — but to this day, the striker says he had never signed a contract with the Sea Robbers.
Mthembu sat down with sports journalist Mahlatse Mphahlele on his YouTube channel, Prime Sports with Mahlatse to discuss the matter.
WHAT MTHEMBU SAID: "I did not sit down with Pirates and signed a contract. I am not that stupid. As young as I was and as dumb as they thought I was, I never signed for Pirates. I got a strange call and it was sort of a matter of life and death. So I had to think for my family and play (for Pirates). I had to support my son, build a home for my mother."
"The call said I can stay at home for three years or come to play, so I had to make a choice. I told Bobby [Motaung] and he said it is fine, I can go to Pirates. If I was meant to be at Chiefs, I will come back one day. And he took it lightly. Bobby supported me even when I was no longer at Chiefs."
"I decided to go to Pirates because I had to also respect the law, if they say that this team has the contractual right over me, I have to go whether I like it or not."
TWO WORLDS APART: Mthembu eventually did move to Amakhosi after spending about four years at Pirates where he made close to 40 appearances. At Chiefs, Mthembu says he enjoyed his stay more than he did at Bucs, suggesting that the level of professionalism is perhaps worlds apart between the Soweto giants who clash this Saturday in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
"As young as I was, I compared Pirates with Chiefs. The training field was glamorous and when you go to Pirates it is different. They are a professional team, they took good care of me. But there is something (different). It is like when you drive the latest BMW versus the old one, something changes," said Mthembu.
"When I was at Chiefs, I had this feeling of feeling at home, even at Pirates, but I was relaxed. But I had to quickly adjust because I had to think about my mother, it was not only about me. I remember Teko Modise said: 'Now that you are here, stop this up and down at courts and focus on football. Pull yourself together, you have a family to feed. He motivated me," he added.
WHAT NEXT FOR MTHEMBU: The former Cape Town City and AmaZulu striker is currently in the employ of second division side Pretoria Callies. The side are mid-table and will face JDR Stars on Sunday in a bid to end their three-match winless run.
