Tsutsulupa has no intentions of becoming a coach

The length of Lefa Tsutsulupa’s stay at Moroka Swallows, which stretched for over 10 years, remains a mystery to him and the football fraternity, considering how talented he was – this was a player that would surely have been welcomed into any squad in the Absa Premiership.

Tsutsulupa eventually ended his playing career at the Dube Birds in 2015.

“No comment,” Tsutsulupa giggled. “Swallows is a page that I have closed. I don’t know why I stayed there as long as I did, it could have been loyalty to a certain extent.”

While other retired players are rushing to swap their football boots for chalk and the metaphorical drawing board coaches claim to revert to when tactics flop, Tsutsulupa doesn’t find leading from the touchline an attractive proposition.

“I hate coaching, I would never become a coach. We can have as many retired players as we want with licences, but the thing is, decisions are made at the top. As long as club management are people who have never played football we are not going anywhere, so we need to find a way to have former players in the PSL and in Safa, so that the decisions made are not only for financial gain, but for the well-being of the players.”

READ: Swallows flying high again

True to his word about not getting involved in the technical department of a team, Tsutsulupa took up a job in Puma South Africa’s marketing department as a football sponsorship coordinator, linking the brand with football clubs and footballers. The dreadlocked midfielder still plays football socially once a week with other retired football stars such as Jabulani Mendu and Maimane Phiri.

“I think it has to do with your sacrifices, you need to invest in things that are important for you to be at your best. Pay for a gym membership if a team doesn’t provide you with one. Learn from other players about how they stay in shape,” added Tsutsulupa. “Footballers never retire, we just rest, so I am still involved in football, I watch the game and I go to the stadium with my family.”

The Ladybrand-born former central midfielder believes players who are on the wrong side of 30 need to be given more credit and time on the field because of the contribution they make in the teams they play for.

“No one can tell you when to stop playing. If you still think you can play, then they should let you play. You look at a club like Chiefs – who is performing in that team? Players who are said to be old. When you are young the excuse is you will gain experience and that is why you are not playing well, yet when you are over thirty you run out of excuses. If you can still deliver, then you should keep going,” concluded Tsutsulupa.