Following Kaizer Chiefs' capture of 28-year-old Thabani Dube, who’s never played in the top-flight before, Sihle Ndebele looks at some of the late bloomers who managed to knuckle in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in recent years. Dube, a highly-rated left-footed central defender, has just joined the Glamour Boys from GladAfrica Championship's Richards Bay.
Njabulo Ngcobo (Chiefs)
Ngcobo, 27, made his Premiership debut last season at Swallows. In what was his maiden top-flight campaign, the lad from Folweni in KwaZulu-Natal scooped the prestigious Defender of the Season Award. The AmaZulu development graduate’s impressive form at the Dube Birds in the 2020/21 season earned him a lucrative move to Amakhosi. Ngcobo has also been called up to Bafana Bafana in recent camps. Ngcobo inspired Bafana to Cosafa Cup triumph two weeks ago.
Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu)
A tug-of-war between Limpopo clubs Baroka and Polokwane City delayed Mothwa’s career. The Zebediela, Limpopo-born, keeper only made his top division debut when he was 25 for Chippa United in 2016. Mothwa, 30, was alleged to have penned a deal with both Baroka and Polokwane. The former eventually won the case and sold him to Chippa. Mothwa has since grown to be one the keepers Bafana rely on amid the shortage of astute keepers in the country. He was instrumental in the national side’s recent Cosafa Cup success.
Lerato Lamola (Marumo Gallants)
The 35-year-old Lamola broke onto the Premiership scenes when he was 27, playing for Bloemfontein Celtic in 2013. Despite arriving late in the top-flight, Lamola managed to establish himself as one of the most feared strikers in the division, boasting 43 goals from 226 appearances. It was at Arrows, between 2016 and 2020 where “Malume”, as Lamola is affectionately known, played his best football.
Lennox Bacela (retired)
Bacela started playing in the Premiership when he was already 25 years old for the now defunct Santos. Bacela, who’s now 38, went on to play for Celtic and Orlando Pirates. At the Buccaneers, Bacela experienced the feel of participating in continental football. Bacela scored 38 goals from 172 Premiership games before hanging up his boot five years ago.
PSL debut at 28 means Dube joins late bloomers list
Ngcobo, Mothwa among those who also had to wait
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Following Kaizer Chiefs' capture of 28-year-old Thabani Dube, who’s never played in the top-flight before, Sihle Ndebele looks at some of the late bloomers who managed to knuckle in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in recent years. Dube, a highly-rated left-footed central defender, has just joined the Glamour Boys from GladAfrica Championship's Richards Bay.
Njabulo Ngcobo (Chiefs)
Ngcobo, 27, made his Premiership debut last season at Swallows. In what was his maiden top-flight campaign, the lad from Folweni in KwaZulu-Natal scooped the prestigious Defender of the Season Award. The AmaZulu development graduate’s impressive form at the Dube Birds in the 2020/21 season earned him a lucrative move to Amakhosi. Ngcobo has also been called up to Bafana Bafana in recent camps. Ngcobo inspired Bafana to Cosafa Cup triumph two weeks ago.
Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu)
A tug-of-war between Limpopo clubs Baroka and Polokwane City delayed Mothwa’s career. The Zebediela, Limpopo-born, keeper only made his top division debut when he was 25 for Chippa United in 2016. Mothwa, 30, was alleged to have penned a deal with both Baroka and Polokwane. The former eventually won the case and sold him to Chippa. Mothwa has since grown to be one the keepers Bafana rely on amid the shortage of astute keepers in the country. He was instrumental in the national side’s recent Cosafa Cup success.
Lerato Lamola (Marumo Gallants)
The 35-year-old Lamola broke onto the Premiership scenes when he was 27, playing for Bloemfontein Celtic in 2013. Despite arriving late in the top-flight, Lamola managed to establish himself as one of the most feared strikers in the division, boasting 43 goals from 226 appearances. It was at Arrows, between 2016 and 2020 where “Malume”, as Lamola is affectionately known, played his best football.
Lennox Bacela (retired)
Bacela started playing in the Premiership when he was already 25 years old for the now defunct Santos. Bacela, who’s now 38, went on to play for Celtic and Orlando Pirates. At the Buccaneers, Bacela experienced the feel of participating in continental football. Bacela scored 38 goals from 172 Premiership games before hanging up his boot five years ago.
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