JOHANNESBURG – Spending a year without a professional team brought things into perspective for Tlotlo Leepile, now a Mamelodi Sundowns’ reserve team midfielder.
For one, it made him realise what a bad decision it was for him to part ways with Portuguese side GD Tourizense, though he was frustrated they were playing in the third tier in that country.
Leepile was also brought to the harsh reality of having had to play football without getting paid when he reunited with Farouk Khan at the Stars of Africa Academy, following his return to South Africa, until Sundowns came to his rescue and offered him a two-year contract last year.
And now, after having played a role in Sundowns’ first ever MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) title triumph this past weekend, the only trophy that was missing in Patrice Motsepe’s cabinet, Leepile says he now intends using their prized trip to the Netherlands as a platform to claw his way back to European football.
Masandawana will depart for the Netherlands on March 16 and will return on the 26th. “Coming back here (South Africa) was never easy,” Leepile said.
“I struggled to find a team for a very long time until Sundowns came to my rescue. It was a huge adjustment for me. I was used to getting paid and when I returned to the academy, after having failed to find a professional team to play for, I had to accept kicking the ball without any income coming my way. But Sundowns gave me a chance, and I intend on putting it to full use.”
Asked what influenced his decision to leave Tourizense, Leepile said: “I was just frustrated at the fact we were playing in a very low league, a division where big teams couldn’t spot us or monitor our progress. It felt like a waste of time for me. I wanted to move up. That’s when I decided to come back home.
“However,” Leepile added, “I’m not done with Europe as yet. I still want to go back and try my luck there again. Who knows, hopefully this (the Netherlands trip) could be my big chance. Hopefully, I’ll get scouted by bigger teams this time around.”
But even if that dream move Leepile is hoping for doesn’t happen, the former Under-20 international is confident he stands a good chance of breaking his way into Pitso Mosimane’s first team, like Percy Tau and Tiyane Mabunda did after playing in previous MDC editions.
“Just after this mid-season break, coach Pitso approached me and told me that I had potential of graduating into his senior team, following one of the training sessions we had in Chloorkop.
“That gave me hope. He encouraged me to continue working hard though, as that big chance I’m hoping to get won’t just come my way because I want it. He said I should continue working hard in order for me to get it.
“And I understood him.
“Seeing players like Percy, who has worked his way from the reserve team to where he is now, inspires me.
“He gives me hope. He’s living proof that any of us (in the reserves) can make it, that we can play for the first team and do well for ourselves as well.”