Johannesburg - Former football star Jabu Mahlangu is using his checkered past to help preserve the future of youngsters.
Mahlangu, who used to go by the surname Pule, was a marvel to watch in his heyday. On the football pitch he was an unstoppable wizard of dribbling but his escapades off the field stopped his promising career from reaching greater heights.
More often than not Mahlangu made headlines for his off-field antics than terrorising opponents on the pitch. Mahlangu was known for going Awol - missing training and important matches. He got into all sorts of mishaps including alcohol abuse.
Now though, Mahlangu, as ambassador of MultiChoice Diski Challenge, is teaching aspiring footballers to avoid following the same path as he did. Mahlangu conducts workshops where he cautions youngsters about the challenges that come with fame and being a professional footballer.
“The young ones are listening. You will be surprised. I am still in contact with youngsters from SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Mpumalanga Black Aces and Polokwane City. Whenever they feel they want to talk they call me. Most of them told me they are so lucky to have someone who came and was honest about his mistakes in order to help them not to do the same.
“Self discipline is most important thing,” said Mahlangu.
Mahlangu, who turned out for SuperSport, Pirates and Platinum Stars, burst onto the scene as a teenage sensation with Chiefs.
The midfielder, who represented South Africa at the 2002 Fifa World Cup in Korea and Japan, says youngsters ought to be given a chance to display their skills in the PSL and the national team.
“Sometimes we need to risk young players so that they can learn. It doesn’t help us to wait. If a boy is 16 and he has great potential to play in Bafana, don’t wait for him to be 22 or 23.
“That time between 16 and 23 if you leave him, that’s where most players mess up because they lose hope. If a young player is good, let’s give him a chance,” said the man who has 20 Bafana caps to his name.
“A tournament or a league like MDC has been long overdue because we are a great talented nation. It creates that environment of professionalism for young players.”
The Star