EXCLUSIVE: How “Nanana” Joined Wits

EXCLUSIVE: How “Nanana” Joined Wits
Posted: 27 September 2020

Bidvest Wits might not exist anymore, but this is a club that carries so many memories and kick started the careers of many footballers across the country and beyond. Here, one of the brightest footballers this country has ever produced, Mike “Nanana”Ntombela, exclusively tells The Beautiful Game how he joined this historic club, saying;

“My arrival at Wits was born out of frustration of wanting to play professional football but having failed trials at Kaizer Chiefs and also at Highlands Park. I thought I might never play professional. So I thought I should go and look for a club where I can watch them train, that I decided to go to Senawane in Soweto where I was born and bred to coach a club so that one day it plays professional.

“On my arrival at Wits, I saw Mike Mangena who was playing for Wits by then, he knew I was from Soweto, we had played together in the townships. So he told Raymond Heck and Ronny Schloss and said I’m a good player and should be recruited and play for us, they then recruited me and gave me boots to train and everything.

“So I joined the reserves, well actually trialed with the reserves and I started playing for the club. At that time we were only two black players playing there, but we were well welcomed by all the players and the rest is history,” concluded Ntombela.

Ntombela is also the agent of newly-signed Orlando Pirates defender Tyson Hlatswayo, who incidentally played for “Nanana’s” former team, Bidvest Wits. Ntombela has also written his book titled “Fans Have Stopped Cheering”, which continues to fly off the shelves.

Article By;
Selebalo Karabo Phasha.