Rodney Reiners
Lance Davids this week bid farewell to a sport that has been an integral part of his life. Next month, he intends to say goodbye to the city of his birth as he embarks on the next phase of his career: life after football.
The experienced, much-travelled Ajax Cape Town midfielder announced his retirement from football at the age of 30. He will settle in Belgium and, having last year completed a Sports Management Diploma through Unisa, he will on July 1 join Rob Moore’s company Extra Time as a partner.
Capetonian Moore, a former owner of Seven Stars and co-owner of Ajax Cape Town, is now based in Spain, where he acts as business manager to a number of footballers from all over the world. Davids will be based in Belgium and look after the interests of Extra Time players in the country.
But the former Bafana Bafana man had some sage words of advice for Ajax. Having been at the Cape club for the last two seasons, and having worked closely with the current crop of emerging, young stars, Davids was disappointed in with assistant-coach Ian Taylor’s reaction to the weekend’s Nedbank Cup defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns. reaction to the weekend’s Nedbank Cup defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I was disappointed to read that, even after losing the Cup final, Ajax believe that they still walk away as winners,” said Davids. “Yes, it’s a young squad, but what message are they sending out to the youngsters … Let’s face it, they were second-best. You cannot be a winner if you lose. They have to change that attitude – because they are teaching the kids that it’s okay to lose, with the excuse that they are young.
“What Ajax need to do is develop a winning mentality, that is what makes champions. If they keep telling the youngsters that there’s winning in losing, they will never be winners.
“Don’t get me wrong… I leave the club with a good heart. I appreciate everything they did for me. I love the club. They have some unbelievable talent, but this attitude that there’s winning in losing doesn’t make sense to me.”
David was born in Rocklands in Mitchell’s Plain. He attended Wavecrest Primary School and then Mondale High and Windsor High. He left the Mother City at the tender age of 15 to pursue a career in professional football, that’s how good he was at the time.
Starting out at Parkhurst Ambassadors FC, it was while playing for the Mitchell’s Plain District at the age of nine that he caught the eye of former Hellenic defender Edgar Manuel. He was brought to the Hellenic Youth Academy, where he would quickly gain a reputation as one of the best young talents in the country.
At the age of 13, the late Budgie Byrne and his son, Mark, took Davids for training stints and trial spells at Arsenal and Manchester United in England and Vitesse Arnhem in Holland. Davids says Arsenal, via their scout Liam Brady, were very keen on taking him, but the red tape of signing young players was too complex at the time.
It was later when at the age of 15, playing for the South African under-17 national team, after he scored a hat-trick, that Dirk Dufner, the Sports Director for German Bundesliga club 1860 Munich, invited him for a trial.
Davids and another Hellenic youngster, Marvin Abrahams, accompanied by Mark Byrne, went to Germany, where the trial was successful and both players were signed. He would go on to make his debut for 1860 Munich in the Bundesliga at the age of 17, in a fixture against the famed Bayern Munich.
From there, Davids would go on to play for Djurgardens in Sweden, return to South Africa for spells with SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town, head back to Europe for a three-year stint with Lierse in Belgium, before coming back home to for a final two-year farewell with Ajax.
Nationally, he played 23 times for Bafana Bafana.
“I remember the sense of adventure and trepidation that came with leaving home for Europe at the young age of only 15 years old,” said Davids. “This would not have been possible without the unfailing support of my family. There were so many moments during those first few weeks in a foreign country, different culture and language, very different to our Cape Town, that the easy way out would have been to pack up.
“In these times I had my father to guide and advise me. When he passed away, I lost my mentor and confidante. I still find myself wondering in many situations what my dad would do.
“The decision to call it a day and finally hang up my football boots has not been easy,” added Davids. “Football has been an intrinsic part of my life for a long time and is part of my identity. I am, however, in a good place and comfortable with my decision.”
Many footballers, once they become successful, tend to forget the people who had a role in nurturing and developing their talent. Not Davids…
“I have had the privilege of honing my skills under the care of brilliant coaches (in his early years and as a professional),” he said. “I am filled with gratitude, because everything I’ve accomplished has not only been my doing, but would not have been possible without the support of so many people.”
Having played in Europe and in the PSL, Davids is well-placed to offer his thoughts on the differences between the two.
“The energy and the mobility of players in the PSL are awesome,” he said. “But the problem is that they lose the ball too easily. In Europe, when you lose the ball, they punish you. I would say that, on counter-attacks, in Europe eight out of 10 times it would be a goal. In the PSL, probably only about three out of 10…
“It’s so important for South Africans to go to Europe and better their game. Too often, players here too happy to just stay in the PSL. The money is good, their families are here, the weather is good, but their game doesn’t improve, they can’t get to a higher level and they don’t gain the experience that will make them so much better.
“Let me give you the example of Andile Jali, now playing in Belgium. His game has come on tremendously, he is said to be one of the best players in the Belgian league. Watch him when he comes to play for Bafana now, he never loses possession…
“And that is what I want to offer talented young Cape footballers in my new role with Extra Time in Belgium. I don’t want them to waste too much time in the PSL, they have to go to Europe to reach a higher level. I can offer them such opportunities… I want future young Capetonians to be better and achieve more than Lance Davids, Nasief Morris or Benni McCarthy.”
A farewell to the Mother City, though, wouldn’t be complete without Davids offering aspiring youngsters some advice on how to plot a career in football.
“I’ve been blessed with a successful career and have accomplished much, but none of it would have been possible without determination, hard work and non-negotiable professionalism at all times,” said Davids.
“If I could pass on some advice to aspiring youngsters, it is to recognise and use every opportunity to improve, the competition is tough. The world of professional football is attractive, make sensible and responsible choices, think of your future, invest and be prepared at all times.
“Most importantly, stay humble, accept criticism and, always, always, work hard… very hard!”