Sede Junior Dion is quickly making a name for himself as one of the notable sharpshooters in the DStv Premiership since his arrival in the country two years ago. Marumo Gallants provided him the platform to launch his Mzansi career, something the burly Ivorian is most grateful for. When coach Romain Folz made the surprise move from the Limpopo-based side to AmaZulu FC, he didn't hesitate to bring Dion along, and the striker hasn't disappointed as he's netted four times for Usuthu. But just what has he made of his time in South Africa so far and what is his biggest strength? With the assistance of an independent translator, Soccer Laduma's Masebe Qina spoke to the 24-year-old about his switch to KwaZulu-Natal and team progress, including scoring his first goal for his current side against Kaizer Chiefs. Dion also shares his thoughts on Gallants' CAF Confederation Cup exploits.
Masebe Qina: Welcome to the pages of Soccer Laduma, Sede. How's life been at AmaZulu FC?
Sede Dion: It's been good and I have just been trying to work hard and I guess that's what brought me to AmaZulu in the first place. For me, it is all about hard work and nothing else. Fortunately, I was welcomed well by everyone at the club and they accepted me as one of them in the family. Their warm welcome made it easy for me to adjust to life here and it didn't take me long to see myself as a member of the family.
MQ: How much of a role did coach Romain Folz play in your move?
SD: More than anything, I believe that it's because of hard work that I am now with AmaZulu. Yes, coach Romain Folz knew me from my previous club Marumo Gallants, having played under him there, but without hard work I don't think a move to AmaZulu would have been possible. I enjoyed working with the coach at Gallants and I bought into his philosophy, and how he allowed me to play helped me to grow as a player. Even here, he still does, and I enjoy playing under him. There's been a rapid improvement in how I play and my performances are a proof of that since I started working with the coach. I must confirm that I did have other opportunities elsewhere, but I couldn't resist the opportunity of reuniting with the coach when it arose. I had the option of going elsewhere, but it was much easier for me to choose AmaZulu.
MQ: How are you finding competition for positions in the team?
SD: AmaZulu players are top players with loads of experience in the game. It's very tough, but if there's anything about me and how I do things, (it is that) I don't show too much respect to anyone when it comes to getting down to work. Don't get me wrong, I do respect everyone in general, but it's when it comes to work that I am talking about. I don't respect too much. When we go to training, I believe that as players we all have equal opportunities to impress the coach and I came here to make a name for myself and not just to add numbers. That's why I say I don't show too much respect to anyone when it comes to competition because I have got a name to make for myself at the club.
MQ: As a foreign player, do you feel more pressured to prove yourself every time you step onto the field?
SD: In terms of pressure, I believe that I have already gone past that stage because I have played in a foreign country before when I was in Botswana. And here in South Africa, I am now with my second club, after I first played for Marumo Gallants. I can absorb the pressure and it is not that much of a factor for me. I believe in hard work and I leave everything in God's hands. If it is the will of God, there's nothing that anyone can do. The only thing I can do is to absorb the pressure by working hard.
MQ: Your first goal for Usuthu was in the 4-0 win against Kaizer Chiefs in January. Did it boost your confidence?
SD: I have not made a name for myself as yet in this country and I still have a lot to prove, and through hard work I believe I can do a lot more. Even with some of my goals, if you can check, I get too much involved in the creation of them as it is my duty to always try and score. So, that's why I believe that I still have a lot to offer. But to answer your question about the confidence, I already had the confidence because I believe that God gave that to me a long time ago. For example, I've scored against other big teams, like (Mamelodi) Sundowns, from my time with Marumo already.
MQ: Did you have a point to prove when you scored in the game that followed that of Amakhosi, which was against Gallants?
SD: No, there was no point to prove even if it was Marumo Gallants that we were playing against. I am at AmaZulu to work, and I was just doing my work against Marumo, just like I would have done against any other team. As part of my job as a striker, I have to score goals and it doesn't matter the name of the club I am playing against. I was doing my job and there was nothing to prove to anyone.
MQ: Describe your time in Limpopo.
SD: I had a very good time with the club. I have some good memories about my time with the club and Marumo Gallants is my family. The club was my first home in South Africa and they introduced me to the country and the league. They gave me the opportunity to play here and I don't have any regrets about any of the time I was with the club.
MQ: What do you think of their CAF Confederation Cup campaign, where they look on course to qualify for the quarterfinals?
SD: I am very happy for the club for the results they are getting in the competition. They have had some good victories there and I believe that they still have a long way to go in the competition. I am not too worried about the team's position on the log because, by the look of things, once they start winning games in the league, they will be as consistent (as in CAF) and they will remain in the league at the end of the season.
MQ: Before joining Marumo in 2021, you had previously been linked with Orlando Pirates and Sundowns. Tell us about that.
SD: First of all, I would like to thank God because I felt honoured to have my name mentioned among players linked with those clubs. Like I said to you, I believe so much in hard work because with hard work, everything is possible. I am someone who takes my career seriously and after training with the team, you can still find me doing some extra training on my own. I'm doing so because I have a vision and a goal and that is to succeed.
MQ: Is there anything you would like to add to this interview before we let you go?
SD: I would like to thank you for the opportunity and it means a lot to me. One thing I would like to correct which has been bothering me, I see some people and publications in South Africa saying that I am 28 years old or even older, and that's not my correct age. I don't know where that incorrect information comes from and I would like to have it corrected because I'm tired of being referred to by the wrong age. I was born on 16 October 1998, which means I will be turning 25 later this year.
MQ: Noted, and thanks for clearing that up. All the best!
SD: Thank you.
It's about jealousy
Sigcino "Mfundisi" Thusi – AmaZulu FC supporter
"He is one of our own and we love him so much. We are even worried as the supporters that whenever we have good players like him, there are always clubs sniffing around wanting to take them away from us. There are clubs that do not seem to want other teams to have the best players. I'd advise the boy to be aware of that because not all the clubs that will be showing interest in him do actually like him. It's about jealousy because those clubs always have different players for the same position but will always go for players from other clubs. I'm talking about the so-called big clubs like (Orlando) Pirates and (Mamelodi) Sundowns, although I think Sundowns is doing better these days because they use almost all their players, unlike Pirates and Chiefs where players are signed but do not get a chance to play. I think the story of Sibusiso Mabiliso should serve as a lesson to players because he played two or three games at Chiefs, if I'm not mistaken, while he was doing well at AmaZulu. I see (Makhehleni) Makhaula has made the same mistake and made a move to a club where he will be competing with a host of players for a position, while he owned his position at AmaZulu. There are players like Miguel Timm and (Ndabayithethwa) Ndlondlo at Pirates and it will be difficult for him. Regarding our loss to Dondol Stars, the football that teams play these days is not like the football of yesteryear where you'd know that during the Mainstay Cup or Bob Save Super Bowl, you'd be looking 12, 10 or nine goals in the Last 32 matches between big and small clubs. I have my own team in the SAB Regional League called Sgcino Cosmos and it has produced players like Njabulo Ngcobo. If my team was to play Pirates, I wouldn't be too scared because I know that anything can happen in football these days irrespective of the name of the club and the league it is in."
