A quartet of Amakhosi players attended the Nokia defend your street 5 a side tournament held at the Randburg Soccer Club, in Randburg just West of Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.

The Chiefs contingent made up of Emille Baron, Jimmy Tau, Shaun Bartlett and midfielder Gerald Sibeko were in Randburg to lend their support to the teams participating in the defend your street national finals which is also sponsored by Vodacom. Over two hundred teams have taken part in the tournament to date and on Saturday the first day of competition at the national finals, saw all the teams fighting it out to play in the final on Sunday where the finalists would face a special guest team made up of specialist street footballers from Brazil.

Chiefs managed to bring the crowd to a halt when they made their lunch time appearance on Saturday, and the Nokia dance crew who followed The Amakhosi onto the stage did not have a problem with the Chiefs players continuing on for an extra half hour signing autographs and taking pictures with members of the public.

Famous fan

Popular Kwaito star Tembi Seete was on hand on Saturday to entertain the fans but before she did that the singing sensation took time out to pose for pictures with the Chiefs players in Randburg on Saturday, afterward a brief chat with the Chiefs players Seete declared her support for The Amakhosi when she explained.

“I have been a Chiefs fan for many years and I always get to see the guys on television and it was nice to get to speak to them in person, it was good of them to attend the defend your street national finals as it also worked as a form of motivation for the teams participating in the tournament”.

For the players

Chiefs striker Shaun Bartlett who has over the past couple months under taken a number of projects to assist in the development of younger players in the game of football, enjoyed being able to lend his support to the participants taking part in Saturday’s matches. Bartlett said afterwards “It was good for us to come and visit this tournament as it shows the teams that are participating that if they work hard enough they can achieve their dreams.

For us to be part of the process where by we can help push some on or be the extra motivation for them to achieve their full potential is something really special”.

Another of the Chiefs players in attendance Gerald Sibeko enjoyed watching the fast paced five a side matches and said “the teams played in a very competitive spirit and I think they found it very strange that we came out to cheer for them. I saw some very skilful players out there and maybe in a couple of years some of these guys will be playing in the PSL, these games are played at such a furious pace that you must admire their ability to keep on going in these warm and very hot conditions”.

Sponsor appreciation

Henry Kapotwe of Sail Sports and Entertainment who was commenting on behalf of Chiefs main sponsors Vodacom, was appreciative of the fact that The Chiefs players took the time out to attend the Nokia defend your street national finals and said.

“As a sponsor it is always a good thing to have players from a team that you sponsor go through all the trouble to come out on and get behind players who aspire to be just like them, is something that needs to be admired and appreciate