Mon May 20 16:53:47 SAST 2013

Legends Corner: Joel Mnini opens up, in Sowetan coup

May 10, 2012 | Mcelwa Nchabeleng | 31 comments

"FORGET about interviewing uMseshi," was the curt warning from one of Moroka Swallows' directors, Sipho Xulu, when we asked permission to talk to the great Joel "Ace" Mnini for this feature.

Comments

Mon May 20 16:53:47 SAST 2013 ::
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May 10, 2012

ApelMankotsana

Good olden days when we were enjoying watching the likes of Thomas " Who is Fooling Who" Hlongwane, Fetsi "Chippa" Molatedi, Nelson "Botsotso" Teenage Dladla, Ewe Kambule and all the other soceer legends. That was the time of the shibobos, tsamayas, spy-two's, Ceasers Kicks. We used to enjoy our soccer.....it was not commercial.
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May 10, 2012

mhangani

This Man was swallows himself , he was so good , so talented . i wish all hapiness and good life wherever you are. peace be unto you and your family
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May 10, 2012

imthegreatest

@mhangani
how old are you sister?
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May 10, 2012

Uncompromising

This is the only player that truly deserves to be called Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace ! I know the Chiefs fans will disagree but the truth does hurt sometimes ! I hope him agreeing to do the interview also boosts the moral of The Birds players to win the league. I`m so ready to celebrate !
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May 10, 2012

thembag0206

The best player in my times Joel Ace Mnini,pls kaizer and khoza give these guys a chance to prove what are made of,instead of importing talents in couching,
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May 10, 2012

Bizzabo

ApelMankotsana

O nkgopotsa Noel Phinda Mzala Cousins, Oshkosh Lucky Molefe, Trevor Mthimkhulu..my goodness the list is endless.

That was soccer with full kasi stadiums( Sinaba in Daveyton home ground to Benoni United, Kwathema, the then Orlando etc)

eish!
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May 10, 2012

Uncompromising

@ Bizzabo, do you still remember Tornado Ntsibande ? OMG, i get chills just thinking about those guys.
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May 10, 2012

Nzwere

Mnini was a man, I so wish we produce other Mninis this time arround, but unfortunately this modern soccer does not allow our talented player to show their skills.
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May 10, 2012

Bizzabo

Uncompromising

Ohh yes, I wonder where one can get these old dvd's to watch those mainstay, jps and Benson and Hedges finals?

Do you remeber that towering keeper, Patson Kamuzu Banda? bo Ryder Mofokeng? so wish our so called number tens ( stars) can see what a real star did!!!

Do you remember
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May 10, 2012

mageu#8zola

Hi
I happened to teach at Lavela High School in Zola and one his boys was playing studying, watching his boy play you can see the soccer is in his genes not like others we see now play soccer. His boy was supercool with his left foot,
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May 10, 2012

Shredder

@mageu#8zola - iAuthi yaseMzambiya
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May 10, 2012

Shredder

imthegreatest
@mhangani
how old are you sister?
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LOL. Good question. Anyway, maybe she has seen some footages.

"I watch a lot of soccer on TV but I also have time to chill with my buddies in Zola drinking my favourite Castle Lite"

Le ko Dobsonville ha Banda playing snooker ta Ace. Ta Ace is a humorous gentleman and indeed a very good company to be with.
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May 10, 2012

SKIZOBANTWANA

During his time_ My Lists of favourites:

#Orlando Pirates
Webster ``city-late``Lechaba
Andy ``J e s u s``Karajisky
Patson``Kamuzu``Bhanda


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May 10, 2012

Shredder

@Uncompromising
This is the only player that truly deserves to be called Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace ! I
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What about Ntsoelengoe? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace. Ace Ntsoelengoe was a genius, very creative. He knew when to slow down the pace of the game and when to increase the tempo.
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May 10, 2012

Shredder

Picture no1, is that Durban City? :) Sheeeer, by the way there were lots of white players playing soccer by then. Wits was actually a white team with 1 or 2 black players. Dion Highlands Park(now known as Jomo Cosmos) were all white too. Lucitano (never seen them play), I hear they were all white.
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May 10, 2012

Bizzabo

Shredder

Hellenic was also a white( Greek mostly ) team
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May 10, 2012

Jonsi

It was the with the likes of Ace Mnini, Tornado, Congo Malebane, Six Mabone, Goal Power, KK Lentsoane where goals would come from all directions, but the whole damage was done by this man, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaace.
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May 10, 2012

Shredder

Bizzabo

Hellenic was also a white( Greek mostly ) team
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You are right; that should be Hellenic. I think Durban City was full of Indians. Stambo ka meriri you to score goals for them.
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May 10, 2012

Bosele

I was wondering where is this man,he is the greatest player to be produced in our borders.if you had seen his partnership with ace Happy Nkomo,the the great Aubrey Makgopela that was football at it's best.This partnership was nearly achieved by Jessy Queen and Zane Moosa and ever since nothing came close to resembling what you and youe team mates achieved.
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May 10, 2012

sexyghost

Guys u really remind me of the good old days. AboKagiso'Zero 'my hero' Mogale, 'Heel Extension' Mkhari, Jerry ;Je' sadike, Fetsi 'Chippa' Molatedi, 'Road Block' makhathini, chris 'Roll Away' Mkhabela, 'Botsotso 'teenage' Dladla, 'Toy; Diga Jazz' Ramora, 'maria maria;computer' lamola, jan 'jazzman malomb lechaba, ephraim 'troublemaker' sono, tanti julius, Bigboy staffnurse' kgoloane.

jah neh
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May 10, 2012

maftowncity

Aish Mnini was sensational,tricky player...Peter Gordon always says he has sleepless nite when Students engaged The Birds,cos Mnini will make him the joke of the day.He once joked and said Mnini ha a tsebe diski cos o dlala bolo ya ko strateng...LOL..what a great player he was..!
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May 10, 2012

Tango

Great player but this interview is boring.
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May 10, 2012

maftowncity

@Shredder
Aish,bro,you are right sir,Ace was the master of the ball,thats the player who can control the whole game,the way he wants it...i couldnt have said better than you sir.

@Apel
Aish,bro my heart bleeds..360 degree movement...Disco Makua was great in that movement..then Khuse..Scara Ngobese perfectted that

@Sexyghost
You really made cry..aish..aish..great players indeed..
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May 10, 2012

maftowncity

Mainstay cup '83,in the dying minutes,Aces lost concentration,and the ball was intercepted,and Hlongwane ran like as if he was seeing the ghost,in the danger zone..and Mnini making a telling run.Fetsi,Makgopela,Bhamjee,Malebane on the attack..and Maimane was shouting to organise his defense..calling Ntuli,and Disco to come back...and a k!ller pass from Hlongwane Mnini..Maimane took his eyes oof the ball..and Mnini picked up the spot and sent the rocket....!

The rest is history..
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May 10, 2012

letwadi

Uncompromising, why specifically Chiefs fans, doesn't Pirates have an Ace, Celtics had an Ace, Golden Arrows have an Ace, why Chiefs?
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May 10, 2012

Tasto

Ace you were good but not the best, Teenage was something else if you were the "best".RyderMofokeng could contain you for 90 minutes & that the fact ! I think VaderMposho made you ALL in Swallows look so good !!
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May 10, 2012

Tasto

@letwadi - had Didi "Ace' Khuse & James Mkhwanazi !!

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May 10, 2012

Sharpino

My Always favourate player..................ACEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
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May 10, 2012

Papin

@Shredder you don't know what you are talking about; Durban City was an all white team and I don't remember any Indian playing for them. Players like Alan Watt, Dave Kershaw, Terry Watson, Mark and Neil Tovey, Kevin Moodie, Dennis Wicks, Brummie De Leer were all white players. The only black player was Rodney Charles in the Durban City team. The team that was associated with Indians was Casio Dynamos, a team which was based in Johannesburg. Yes Hellinic was predominantly a Greek team in Cape Town with Cape Town Spurs having coloured players. It really shows that Shredder was still young during those days. @Uncompromising what has Mnini interview has to do with KC fans?
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May 10, 2012

Ngwedane'endala

I was not around when these guys were playing, I remember when Pirates hammered Chiefs 4-1, Dumisa "Isiphithiphithi" Ngobe, Helman "Midnight Express" Mkhalele, John "Dungi" Moeti, Edward "Magents" Mtale. Doctor "16v" Khumalo. Brian "Spider" Baloyi Jerry " legs of thunder" Sikhosana the list is endless.
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Aug 16, 2012

Yotywa

got guz bmz when you talk of this Guy, He was in his own. Zindiza inyoni, you look at his successor Andriess Chakachaka Mpondo, that was the swallows we knew.
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