One on One with Gerald ‘Tso’ Sibeko
One on One with Gerald ‘Tso’ Sibeko

Posted in News on Aug 30, 2012.



Gerald Sibeko insisted that he does not have any regrets and is enjoying his new role at Kaizer Chiefs as the Team Manager.



The Mandela Cup and twice league champion winner Gerald Sibeko will have a wide range of a role at the Club from working with the Football Manager, Bobby Motaung and serving as a link between the Team Management and the Marketing and Communications Departments since his retirement from football at the end of 2011/2012.



It took a bit of time for the interview to take place and the Team Manager apologised; “I first wanted to settle in my new role before I do the interviews,” he said as he pulled the chair at Club’s media room.



He will also take an active role in guiding the next generation of Kaizer Chiefs players; “I was called by Football Manager (Bobby Motaung) a month before the end of the season. He asked me if I would mind helping him in the office. I really did not expect that as I was still fighting for my place in the team.



“It was an easy decision for me to make as I felt a bit discouraged by the lack of game time and had made up my mind to retire at the end of the season.



Sibeko like Thabo Mooki before him is a ‘one team man’ and insisted he never wanted to leave Kaizer Chiefs for any Club; “I did not want to move to another team. I was just going to retire so it was easy for me to accept the new role in the team. I would like to thank our Executive Chairman, Kaizer Motaung for offering me an opportunity to remain at the Club.



Sibeko played 187 (scoring 10 goals) games making his debut against Tembisa Classic in 2000 and scored his first goal the same season against Manning Rangers.



As a player ‘Tso’ as Sibeko is known to the multitudes of Kaizer Chiefs and football supporters was a master of short passing game and also deadly on set pieces something that Joel Santana saw when he called the player to the national team back in 2008 prior to the Confederations Cup.



Do you think you should have played more games for the national team? Kaizerchiefs.com asked: Tso smiled before answering, “I am happy with what I have achieved in my career and I have no regrets. When you have regrets in life you don’t move forward.



During his 12 seasons as a player at Chiefs Gerald was never called in front of the Club’s DC and what does he attributed that to; “Discipline,” he said cutting in.



He continued; “It is important that your own aspiration, motivation and I had to give my all. Guidance that we got from the School of Excellence shaped me and one has to give credit to people like Sam Mbatha and later Farouk Khan at Kaizer Chiefs Academy who were more than just coaches to us.



Sibeko regards playing in the Champions League as one of the highlights of his glittering career; “The experience of playing in a big competition helped me grow as a player. I would like to see the Club not only competing in that competition in the near future but conquering the continent.



Which player do you enjoy watching these days? I asked; after a while he answered; “David Mathebula is one player I can think of. We had a telepathic understanding. I still enjoy watching him play.



‘Tso’ believes that the current team has what it takes to win the league, “Of course” he answered as he left for his office to prepare for the team’s travel to Free State, Charles Mopeli Stadium to face Free Stars this coming weekend on 1 September 2012

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