Down but not out. That’s how Bidvest Wits goalkeeper Ricardo Goss feels after he was slapped with one of the heftiest suspensions in recent weeks.
Football - just like most sports - is a game of emotions. Projected right, they are bound to leave memories that will live forever. But if emotions are displayed negatively, bitter memories also live on.
On January 18, Goss found himself on the wrong side of the law after his emotions got the better of him.
The Wits goalkeeper, together with teammate Sameehg Doutie, were involved in a physical altercation with referee Masixole Bambiso in the 2-0 loss against Cape Town City.
The duo were subsequently handed an eight-match ban - of which four matches were conditionally suspended.
Since then, though, Goss has served three games of his ban, missing two league games and one cup match.
That has taken a strain on the 25-year-old who had already made 12 domestic appearances for the Clever Boys this season. But instead of sulking and moaning, Goss hopes to draw positive lessons from the setback.
“Obviously, it (the ban) was a bitter pill to swallow. It’s not nice to be suspended for so many games. But I am trying to work on my emotions. I guess this is something that is part of the journey,” Goss said.
“I have to think about the team. So, going forward, it’s something that I need to reflect on. But I am trying to take a lot of positives from the setback. I simply need to learn from it and move on going into the future.”
During his absence in the past few weeks, the Clever Boys collected four points in the league and progressed to the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup - thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Brandon Peterson between the sticks.
Peterson was recently rewarded for his efforts with a national team call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad that was supposed to play São Tomé and Principe in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in the next two weeks - home and away.
However, those Afcon qualifiers have been cancelled by CAF as a precautionary measure to reduce and prevent the spread of the fatal coronavirus that has left the world on its knees. The PSL also suspended their games until further notice.
Wits only stopped training on Friday and are set to resume on Thursday next week. However, Goss feels that the halt is two-edged for them - especially having had to play catch-up games.
“The break has broken the momentum that we had. But I think that we needed the break because we were exhausted after playing week in and week out due to the catch-up games. I think that it was really tough for us,” Goss explained.
PSL chairman Irvin Khoza announced they hoped to conclude the domestic season by June 30.
Goss will serve his last ban against Orlando Pirates away at the Orlando Stadium on a date set to be announced.
From that match onwards, the Clever Boys will likely know if they can still challenge for the league. They are sixth on the log standings having amassed 38 points, 10 behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, who’ve played one game more.
Goss is hoping to end the season with a piece of silverware around his neck.
That will be a consolation for the punishment he’s endured this season.
“At the end of the season, I would love to have won some silverware. It would be a good thing - for me and the team.
"It would bring a lot of positivity to everything that has happened this season,” he explained.