Leopards are on the prowl

Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

PREDATOR: Mongezi Bobe of Black Leopards has been dangerous in front of goal for his side this season and is a big reason theyre in the top flight. Picture: Muzi Ntombela / BackpagePix

Tshepang Mailwane

Imagine if Black Leopards were to lift the Nedbank Cup trophy in May, survive relegation this season and then to top it off, qualify for the group stages of the Caf Confederation Cup – or even better, win the continental tournament.

Now wouldn’t that be something out of the ordinary! But should any of that happen, captain Mongezi Bobe would most probably be central to their success.

After all, this is the man who scored one of the goals for Leopards in the National First Division play-offs final en route to Absa Premiership promotion this season and also played a pivotal role in leading Lidoda Duvha to the Nedbank Cup final, where he scored in the club’s 3-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates last season.

Three of Bobe’s four league goals this season have come in his past three matches and should he carry on banging in the goals as he has been lately, 15th placed Leopards may live to fight another day in the PSL and do well in the Nedbank Cup and Confederation Cup.

“I grew up playing as a striker in the lower divisions. I also played as a striker at Porto FC in the Vodacom League, so I’m familiar to playing in the box and scoring goals,” Bobe recalls.

“I had trials with Silver Stars when they were promoted to the PSL (2003/04).

“They signed me but I was immediately loaned out to Mabopane Young Masters.

“And that’s where I was shifted from a striking position to right winger.

“The coach at Young Masters believed in the big foreign strikers, and I was small and skinny. So he moved me to the right wing and I have played there since.”

Young and eager to make a name for himself in the game at the time, Bobe did not have a problem shifting positions and in fact excelled on the flank, although Stars did not recall him from his loan spell at Young Masters, who gladly kept him.

“I didn’t know much about the deal I had with Silver Stars. I did not go back and ended up staying with Young Masters.

“I was young and all I wanted to do was play football, so I didn’t have a problem with that.

“I was at Young Masters for three seasons before moving to City Pillars, where I played with the likes of Teko Modise and Myron Shongwe. And (Vladislav) Heric was the coach.

“I went to Mpumalanga Black Aces and I was part of the team that made it to the Nedbank Cup final (2008), though I didn’t play in the decider,” he says.

Bobe played with Modise at Pillars, Joseph Makhanya at Porto FC and while these players’ careers have flourished, his has not progressed as much as he would have wanted it to.

Despite being 30, Bobe, who joined Leopards from Aces, believes he’ll eventually join one of the big three before retiring.

“Sometimes you just wait for your chance. I’ll just keep on pushing. I believe if there hadn’t been any injuries, I would be at a big club.

“But I’m happy here at Leopards. I can’t complain,” he said.

Leopards play Democratic Republic of Congo club Saint Eloi Lupopo, the club former Kaizer Chiefs striker Kabamba Musasa played for before coming to the PSL, in the first round, first leg of the Confederation Cup at the Giyani Stadium today (3pm).

Lidoda Duvha beat Zimbabwe’s Motor Action 3-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round to qualify for this round.

And Bobe says it’s all thanks to that result, especially the one away from home where they won 2-0, that Leopards are playing better football in the Absa Premiership lately.

Bobe also believes they can go far in the Confederation Cup.

“After we beat Motor Action, we grew in confidence and I believe we are now playing better than we did in the first half of the season.

“We believe we can win today’s match and do better that what many people expect,” he concluded.