In a country where many football lovers follow Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns, actor Kwenzo Ngcobo decided to support a club that felt 'closer to home'.
Ngcobo started out as an Amakhosi supporter because he was influenced by his father, but once he got to university, he fell in love with AmaZulu from his home province. Not only has he found a club he loves, but he has a lot less stress considering Amakhosi are going through what the youth of today would describe as 'the most'.
Soccer Laduma spoke to Ngcobo on how he made the decision to start supporting Usuthu.
How and when did you start supporting AmaZulu?
It started when I was in varsity. Growing up, I was a Kaizer Chiefs supporter because my dad used to support Chiefs. But Chiefs is not from KZN, so I wanted something that's close and that I am familiar with. That's when I started supporting AmaZulu. I decided to go with them. I am not stressed because I am not expecting anything. The boys play over the weekend and I support them and enjoy football.
Was it an easy decision to make because football fans usually stick with their clubs through thick and thin?
It was easy for me to make the change. Growing up, I was always influenced by my dad in terms of supporting football clubs in different leagues. So, choosing AmaZulu was easy because it was closer to home. I did not hesitate. I went to watch AmaZulu when I was in varsity, but I have not had the chance to go watch them a lot since I am now in Johannesburg and there is work as well. But I want to start attending matches.
Was your dad aware when you made the change?
Yes. He did not mind at all. He was okay with the decision.
Which teams do you support overseas?
I support Manchester United in England, Barcelona in Spain, PSG in France and Juventus in Italy.
As a Manchester United supporter, how are you dealing with all the stress that has come with supporting them since Sir Alex Ferguson retired?
Life's been hard. The decisions the owners have made are not good because we expect a lot from the squad. I know it's unfair, but Manchester United is a big team. We should be competing, but it's football. We will see how things go until we win.
Do you have an all-time favourite Manchester United player?
It's Cristiano Ronaldo. He is one of the greatest players. He contributed a lot to what we achieved. He made a big impact in the squad. But my favourite player of all-time is (Lionel) Messi.
