Former Orlando Pirates defender remembers the golden days
"This was a great team where he played alongside great players such as Mark Fish, Edward Motale, Helman Mkhelele, Gavin Lane, John Moeti, and William Okpara."
SEDIBENG.- When Phiri “The end” Tsotetsi started his professional football as a striker, little did he know he would end it being a defender.
Tsotetsi joined Moroka Swallows in the professional ranks as a striker but his then coach, Mich D’Avrey converted him to the left back position, after regular left back, Samson Mofokeng, got injured.
He was a prolific striker before being converted into a defender.
Tsotetsi joined Moroka Swallows in 1994 after he was spotted by one of the clubs’ loyal supporters, Dan Mthimkulu, playing at Esokwazi Secondary School. Tsotetsi had started his amateur football with Toronto, Rainbow Juventus FC and Bra Tom Blackpool.
“Bra Dan saw me playing at school and he asked me if I was not interested in playing professional football. I grabbed this opportunity with both hands. I was grateful with the platform I was granted. I later left Swallows after Orlando Pirates boss, Dr Irvin Khoza approached me a better offer when he asked me how much Swallows paid me and I told him. He said he would pay me R4000 while at Swallows I was earning R600 and something a month. I told Mr David Chabedi (then Swallows Chairman) I was not happy with what they were paying me, and he told me I can leave. I then joined Pirates which was the highlight of my football career,” he said.
Tsotetsi was part of Pirates team that won CAF Cup in 1995.
This was a great team where he played alongside great players such as Mark Fish, Edward Motale, Helman Mkhelele, Gavin Lane, John Moeti, and William Okpara.
When he joined Pirates, he played in the midfield but when right back Oupa Mabuza got injured he was also given the right back position by Coach Viktor Bondarenko. This was the same year when Pirates made history to be the first South African club to win a star.
Tsotetsi was forced to retire from professional football after suffering a serious injury at Amazulu, a team he joined after Pirates.
Tsotetsi is now a respectable businessman.He and his wife are business partners in a catering company.
