Hola Adwin. What a pleasure to be 'in touch' with you this week.
Thanks for having me, my brother.
Seeing this is your debut, let's promptly welcome you to the pages of Africa's leading soccer publication. It's up to you to make it a memorable or disastrous debut, but we're sure you don't want to be remembered for the latter. So, what have you lined up for our readers?
One of the funniest guys here at Platinum City Rovers is Pealvince Madonsela. He is such a character. You know what he likes doing?
Yes?
He has this thing of making fun of people and calling people names. He likes calling himself the chairman of the team and he says he is the one paying our salaries, ha, ha, ha. He likes saying those kinds of things. So, after training, we have a bus that takes us to Jo'burg for us to catch taxis. Those of us who don't have cars catch taxis. So, when I get off the bus, he will shout, "He just got paid, you should mug him. He has money." He says this in IsiZulu and he is directing it at me, ha, ha, ha. He tells people through the bus window that I have just been paid and that they should mug me. And the bus drops us off at Carlton Centre, of all places. Can you imagine?
Ha, ha, ha, how does he think you're gonna make it to training the next day after you get robbed? But why do they drop you off at such a dangerous location?
Most of the guys stay at the clubhouse or in apartments, so the bus delivers them straight to where they stay. But I am staying in Tembisa, so the bus has to drop me at Carlton Centre. Immediately when I get off, he tells people to mug me, ha, ha, ha. But obviously he does that to mess around.
That's an extreme way of messing around, especially because this is downtown Johannesburg we are talking about, where you cannot trust even your own brother.
Ha, ha, ha, yeah. But Pealvince is really a funny guy. He is a cool guy to be around. I don't remember seeing him upset. You will always laugh when he is around, no matter what. He is that type of guy.
Just tell him to stop putting your life at risk, tsotsis don't need a second invitation in the City of Gold. Okay, go on.
I remember when I made my debut for my former club Dondol Stars. The funny thing about that moment was that I was so nervous, and I wanted to find every possible excuse not to play. It was the first time playing in the ABC Motsepe League at the time and I was 19, so I was ready to think of all the excuses not to play. I wanted to play, but the problem was that I was scared, and this was the day before the game.
Dilemma.
I had a teammate of mine that I told that I was thinking of faking an injury. I wanted to find a reason not to play the following day because I was just so scared, ha, ha, ha. I don't think I will ever forget that time, ha, ha.
Of course. You coward! Ha, ha, ha!
I had all sorts of feelings. At one point, I was even wondering why I chose football as a career. I was like, "Maybe I shouldn't have chosen football from the start." I had all these thoughts in my head and I was even wishing I could go back to school and be more intelligent to work an office job, ha, ha, ha. At the time, the game was the following day and I had to find a way to prepare myself for it. Another thing that made me nervous was that I knew I was going to start the game as a right back, which is not my position. I am a centre-back and I now had to get used to the idea that I was going to play in a different position. I wanted to think of all the excuses in the world so that I would not play. I was so scared.
It's strange because usually players look forward to such moments, such challenges. So, you eventually had no choice but to play. Take us through how you were feeling in the tunnel, just before you walked onto the pitch…
Before the game, in the tunnel, I was ready to run. I did not even feel like I was a footballer. But I was a kid at 19, ha, ha, ha. There were so many things going through my mind. My first touch that day was so bad, ha, ha, ha. But I managed at the end of the day. I think what was so funny is how scared I was before that match.
Well, it's good that you did not 'kill' your grandmother on the eve of the game, or 'burnt' your house down, as some would have thought of doing, if you catch our drift. Thank you so much for your time, Adwin. Now you can go and have more fun with Pealvince.
Ha, ha, ha. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I appreciate it.
By Tshepang Mailwane
IN TOUCH FUN FACTS
Nickname: Magents
Marital status: Single
Car: None
Boots: Adidas
Favourite teammate: Neo Mokgoshi
Favourite footballer:
John Stones, Virgil Van Dijk Njabulo Ngcobo
Best friend in football: Tetelo Brian Makola
Favourite food: Rice
