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'I made poor financial decisions': Helman Mkhalele

Helman Mkhalele. Gallo images
Helman Mkhalele. Gallo images

Former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder Helman "Midnight Express" Mkhalele has admitted that poor financial decision-making left him bankrupt after he retired from football.

Mkhalele who plied his trade in Turkey says he lost millions of rands due to lack of proper financial guidance.

"I lost some of my assets. I made wrong financial decisions. I won’t reveal how much I lost but it’s millions," Mkhalele told Sowetan LIVE.

After losing some of his money, Midnight Express said he was even scared to "come out and face people."

"I had invested in a furniture business which I never had knowledge of. I lacked a proper mentor," he said.

The Bucs legend has urged young soccer players to move away from fame and stop buying top of the range cars and start investing lots of their money where there’s sustainability.

"Once you get famous it becomes very difficult to focus on real matters. Everybody runs after you and it becomes difficult to listen," he added.

Mkhalele concluded by saying that at least through education he was able to dust off his past and look for a job.

"I had to rely on my teaching diploma to keep me going, even though I had never practised teaching before in my life," he said.

Ke Yona team Ring of Steel

Retired football legends Helman Mkhalele and Matthew Booth have joined forces with the banking sector in an initiative that was launched to cater for young players’ needs on and off the field.

'Nedbank Ke Yona team Ring of Steel' aims to work with selected players to demonstrate what it takes to build a lucrative and sustainable career on and off the soccer field, even long after the final whistle of one’s football career.

The bank has identified the following three players current PSL players from its past two seasons of the multi- award winning Ke Yona team search: Ian Chikohwa (Tuks), Jarred Meyer (Jomo Cosmo) and Aubrey Maphosa Modiba (Mpumalanga Black Aces FC).

The trio will get some necessary skills; direction and financial planning that will set them apart and build a solid foundation they can launch long and prosperous soccer careers on, while reaching for the stars.

Businessman and football agent Glyn Binkin is also part of the initiative and will take care of the players off the field.

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