JOHANNESBURG - “A lot of people wrote me off.”
Swallows FC captain Lebohang Mokoena made that sober admission after the resurgence he’s had with the Soweto-based team this season.
On Sunday, the Dube Birds returned to the Absa Premiership after they gained promotion by finishing at the summit of the GladAfrica Championship.
The Dube Birds finished level with Ajax Cape Town on 57 points but their superior goal difference was enough to drag them over the finish line.
Swallows’ resurgence was inspired by players such as skipper Mokoena, who has done it and seen it all in top-flight football following successful stints with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, with whom he won the league title.
But he probably doesn’t consider silverware a success with the club, although he was thrilled that he donned the yellow shirt of the Pretoria giants considering that Sundowns was the last club his late friend Gift Leremi played for.
Leremi passed away in 2007 and Mokoena was clearly devastated as he for years battled to accept the loss.
“Cheeseboy” joined Ajax in 2016 but he didn’t thrive as he became club-less during the 2017/18 campaign.
But he received a second chance from Maccabi FC last season in the GladAfrica Championship. And such was his growth that after Swallows bought the status of Maccabi, Mokoena wore the armband with distinction as he led the Dube Birds back to the Premiership.
“For me it’s just a moment that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. And I’ll remain grateful that God gave me this opportunity because a lot of people wrote me off and said, ‘Cheeseboy will never play football again’,” Mokoena said.
“But I told myself that I am not here for the love of money but the passion that God has given me. So praise be to Him. I’d also like to be thankful for the support that I’ve received from my family, wife and kids.”
Mokoena and company did all the hard work on the pitch but their success wouldn’t be possible without the astute guidance of coach Brandon Truter, who joined the club midway through the season following the sacking of Zeca Marques.
Truter didn’t just settle for keeping the team in the second division, instead he delivered them to the promised land at first attempt.
“It was a tough journey,” Truter admitted. “If you look at the log in the first few months, Ajax, JDR Stars and Uthongathi FC occupied the top spot for at least eight weeks. We were on top for just three days.
“But it proves that it’s not about how you start but how you finish. It was a tough road. Prior to the BSE, the technical team was superb and they ensured that the team was prepared coming into this mini-tournament.”
Both Mokoena and Truter are all but guaranteed their positions in the elite division, following a tweet by chairman David Mogashoa, who said: “This money (R3 million in prize money) belongs to @Moroka_Swallows Team. Every single cent. And for the record, coach Truter is our PSL coach. They won it on the field under very difficult circumstances.”
@Mihlalibaleka