LINGELETHU Gcwabe recently revealed that he would like to be a football analyst after obtaining his CAF A-Licence.
The young Kwazakhele-born football coach stated that his love for sport started when he was a learner at Dumani Primary School in Showvillage, participating in soccer, rugby, athletics and cricket at school.
His first football club was Highland Spurs, based at Motherwell NU 9. He said that his junior coaches, Lolo Hlolimpi and Bra Thobo, helped him be a good u/12 and u/14 player. His coaches guided their u/14 side to win the Transnet Provincial U/14 Championships to advance to the national champs in Johannesburg.
He said, “When I was 15 years old, I joined my home side Showvillage United Brothers FC, whose coach was Lukhanyo Wasa. His guidance helped me to display leadership qualities. Coach Wasa is a very strict person who does not take any nonsense. At Showvillage United, we managed to win the Engen Cup, MOFA Premier League trophy, SAFA National U/19 Cup, many provincial tournaments and we got promoted to the SAFA NMB SAB Regional League.”
Gcwabe also played for the Nelson Mandela Bay Schools teams. He joined Alexandria-based Manchester United, which campaigned in the Vodacom (ABC Motsepe) League.
Gcwabe joined the Vodacom League side, Bay Academy, under coach Jani Simulambo and he also played for another Vodacom League side, OR Tambo District Cosmos, which was mentored by Agent Sawu. He was recruited by the Motherwell-based ABC Motsepe League team, Real City, under coach Bonke Namba.
Lastly, Gcwabe spent a long time playing for a local side, Highbury FC, which also campaigns in the ABC Motsepe League.
He said, “At Highbury, I have learnt a lot. Chairperson Cameron Klopper has helped me a lot because he gave an opportunity to grow as an individual. At Highbury, I have grown in many ways as a senior player and an assistant coach to our ABC Motsepe League side.
“We went on to finish as runners-up twice in a row in the ABC Motsepe League. I got the opportunity to learn more styles of playing, coaching styles, football administration, football relations and life skills. After I retired from playing football, I coached Highbury’s reserve side that got promoted to PEFA Premier League in 2019.”
One of Gcwabe’s highlights was coaching Valencia juniors in 2016. He and Popo Mgqwetha also coached Motherwell NU 13 side, Shining Stars, who won the Engen u/18 regional finals and represented the region in the National Engen U/18 Championships in Pretoria in 2017.
He said, “This year, prior to the coronavirus outbreak, I had been coaching at Cingani High School. I am of the opinion that school sport is the proper platform of nurturing talent.”
Gcwabe completed his CAF-C Licence certificate in December 2019 and he said that he would like to be a soccer analyst after completing CAF-A Licence.
He thanked the people who helped him in his football career, including Highbury FC chairperson Cameron Klopper, Lukhanyo Wasa, Isaac Klaas, Mzimkhulu Fina, Khakalomzi Gcwabe, Mzwakhe Diwi Sam, Mthuthuzeli Mnguni Nyarashe and Popo Mgqwetha.
