7 things you probably didn't know about Neil Tovey

The South African Football Association (Safa) has announced that Technical Director Neil Tovey suffered a heart-attack on Sunday. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

The South African Football Association (Safa) has announced that Technical Director Neil Tovey suffered a heart-attack on Sunday. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Published Oct 17, 2016

Share

The South African Football Association (Safa) has announced that Technical Director Neil Tovey suffered a heart-attack on Sunday.

We’ve compiled a list of lesser-knowns facts about Tovey, who led Bafana to their only Afcon title in 1996.

- Though regarded as a famous son of the Durban soil, he was actually born in Pretoria (in 1962) but grew up in 'Surf City' on South Africa's east coast

- A naturally intelligent person, he thought of becoming a doctor before moving into a soccer career

- En route to registering the most appearances in the National Soccer League, he played 174 times for Durban City, 117 times for AmaZulu and 341 times for Kaizer Chiefs

- His elder brother, Mark, was also a great defender who played for City and Chiefs

- He has a home in the upmarket Mount Edgecombe Estate in Durban, where a number of other sports stars reside

- His 23-year-old daughter, Jessica, is one of 26 semi-finalists for Miss South Africa 2017

- His well-known relationship with former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker goes back to junior football at a club called Juventus

Related Topics: