Rheece Evans is not quite sure how his move to Mamelodi Sundowns came about, but feels Steve Komphela had a big influence.
Soccer Laduma spoke to the retired defender about the time he spent at Sundowns, which saw him being part of the squad which won the 2016 CAF Champions League.
The years
I arrived in 2014 and I left in the beginning of 2017, so I was there for about three years. I loved my time at Sundowns. It was a bitter-sweet time. The only thing I didn't like was obviously not playing. Obviously every player wants to play. No one wants to spend their career on the bench or sitting in the stands, but other than that, I loved my time there. I loved my teammates, I loved coach Pitso (Mosimane) and coach Manqoba (Mngqithi). They really had a great atmosphere and worked well together. The moral was fantastic. Every player was friends with everyone. Everyone wanted to play and that's what I loved. I am a competitive person, so I hate losing. So, the energy at Sundowns matched my energy. We had the best players the South African economy can buy, which is what I also liked. You were training to be better than your teammates and by doing so you are working on yourself. You don't think you can just walk into the team. When you have other players starting, you ask yourself where can I be better to start. I was grateful to be part of the CAF Champions League team and winning it was the cherry on the top.
How the move happened
To be honest, I am not too certain. I think Steve Komphela might have had some influence. He was my coach at Maritzburg United at the time. He really helped my game come alive. I think I played my best under him and I managed to score a few goals. I think he had a big influence in allowing me to leave Maritzburg. I am not too sure how it went. I did receive a call from Sundowns stating that they are interested in having me on board and I was happy to join. I think I spent four years at Maritzburg, so I really wanted to win some trophies and be included in the national team. I wanted to see how far I can take my career. I am not too sure who was the mastermind behind the deal.
The make up of the squad
We had quality in every position. In my position, at right back, there was Bryce Moon. There was Siyanda Zwane who had just joined from Arrows. He was an excellent player. Asavela Mbekile was there as well. He was purchased as a midfielder and he was transitioned into right back. We had Rama (Mphahlele), who was captain, and later on we purchased Anele Ngcongca. Fortunately, I was versatile. I played left back, centre back and in midfield. I was versatile, so the coach would keep me on the bench a lot. If the left back got injured, then he could slot me in. We basically had two squads. When we played friendly matches against each other in training, you would never get one squad always beating the other. It was always very competitive. It could go any way.
My first day at Sundowns
We got there (to Sundowns' offices) quite late. Our flight was late, so we just went into the office to sign the contract and take a few photos. There was training the next day as we were in pre-season. The squad was quite big and I saw a lot of faces that I used to see on the field as opposition players. Immediately, I could see that the guys had been working hard during pre-season. I was a little bit nervous in the first training and it was a bit overwhelming to see the structure and professionalism and to see how different procedures are enforced.
My debut
I came on as a substitute. I think it was against Wits or against Chiefs. I can't remember properly. I think I came on in the last five or six minutes and we won the game, which was nice.
The best player I played with at Sundowns
It's hard to say. On a fitness and technical level, Teko (Modise) had everything you could ask for in a player. On a level where a player could win a game, I'd say Percy Tau. At the time, he still needed to work on his finishing, but he has improved a whole lot. He could change a game. But probably one of the best that I rate at Sundowns was 'Mshishi', Themba Zwane. It was hard to get the ball away from him. He does not lose the ball a lot and he will press defenders if he wants to get the ball. He is an intelligent player. In my time, I'd say Mshishi was definitely the best player.
Most memorable moment
I'd say winning the Champions League. The atmosphere in the stadium (in Egypt) was electric. The stadium was packed and the fans were jumping and singing songs. That's a moment I will never forget.
Lowest moment
Giving away a penalty in one of our games. Fortunately, we were top of the league and we did not need the win. I gave away the penalty in the second half. That was one of my lowest points.
Why I left Sundowns
I wanted to play. Coming from Maritzburg where I played every game, I wanted to play. It can get demoralising, so I spoke to Sundowns and asked if I can go out on loan and get game time. They were hesitant to let me go, but they said if that's what I want, they were not going to keep me. Ajax (Cape Town) had wanted me for a while, so I made a decision to go there on loan and get some game time.
