Posted in News on Oct 08, 2006.
The resulting disagreements and the accusations fired at Radebe by certain sectors, even reached the corridors of parliament. Thus spurning Kaizer Chiefs Chairman Kaizer Motaung into action as he contacted Lucas Radebe and Jomo Sono, owner of PSL side Jomo Cosmos.
The initial contact between the three wise men centred around setting up an organization that would gather together former South African soccer players, in order to assist them in a number of ways, which would include them getting the respect they should be given for their contribution to football in the country, as well as having a voice that will allow for their input regarding various issues surrounding soccer in the country.
The organization also aims to assist former players who gave a lot to the game, but were unfortunate not to have been able to have extracted the kind of riches from it that is available to the current generation of South African Soccer Players.
It was with this in mind that the Chiefs and Cosmos Chairmen invited a number of former players along with members of the media, to the Sunny Side Hotel in Parktown Johannesburg on Saturday to kick off their new initiatives.
Speaking as one of the key note speakers at the meeting Jomo Sono said “One of our aims is to transform these players into business men. We will set up a structure whereby we will be able to tender for various Black Empowerment deals. This is not just a give, give situation: the guys also need to be innovative and approach us with various ideas that they might have, regarding business opportunities; not just related to soccer that might come their way”.
Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung in his address to the crowd, which included former South African football legends the likes of 1996 CAF Africa Cup of nations winner Philemon Masinga, as well as former Amakhosi crowd favourite Isaac Kungoane, spelt out the need for the formation of an organization that will look after former players once their playing days have elapsed.
“I believe that it really tragic to see that the wealth of talent, experience and passion of so many South African footballing icons has been ignored, at a time when the football world is focussing on South Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup”, said Motaung.
The Chiefs supremo continued further by adding “perhaps people will ask why are we doing this now, what is the purpose of this gathering and what will come out of it? Well I believe that we could ignite the fuse and start a process whereby former professional soccer players can be afforded the opportunity to revive their involvement in the game of football as well as giving back to the sport in a different way as they look beyond their playing days”.
With the first meeting out of the organization, which represents former professional footballers in the country, is looking towards mobilizing former players in other parts of the country and will be having road shows in the Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal shortly.
They will move forward in their endeavours, knowing that they do have the blessing of the South African Football Association after Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung sent him a letter outlining the desire to form such an organization.
The Amakhosi head man received a counter letter from the president of SAFA Mr. Molefi Oliphant commending him and Mr. Sono for starting such an initiative and wished them well in their pursuits.
The objectives of the new organization are:
A) To create a platform of dialogue that would hopefully mobilise the participation of former South African Soccer Players, in the future development of sports.
B) To establish mechanisms that would protect the image of football and sustain such in the best interest of the country.
C) To galvanise and protect our wealth and minefield of talent so that it remains visible and active in the sport of soccer.
D) To prevent a tragic loss of our archived history given the contribution made during their playing days, at the very moment South Africa is reputed to be a competitive host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
E) To establish some kind of an organization, or a professionally managed and co-ordinated structure that may positively infiltrate all levels of South African Football.
F) To create mechanisms that guard against the often reckless and detrimental public mud slinging that is costly to the image of football in South Africa.
G) To create a sustainable platform of dialogue where on the experience and contributions of former professional soccer players, could be used to positively influence the developments of football.
