KUSHAYEKE neqembu lase-England elidumile kuleliya lizwe iLeeds United ngokuvela kwezindaba zokudlula emhlabeni kukaPhilemon “Chippa” Masinga owazakhela olukhulu udumo eqhulula amagoli emaqenjini amaningi akuleli nawaphesheya kwezilwandle.
UMasinga, odlule emhlabeni izolo eneminyaka engu-49 ubudala ngemuva kokugula isikhathi eside ephethwe isifo esingazange sidalulwe, wayengagcini ngokuwaqhulula kula maqembu ahlukene kepha nakwiBafana Bafana ubenza okufanayo. UMasinga ubengeniswe eTshepong Hospital eseKlerksdorp kodwa waphinde wadluliselwa eParktown Hospital lapho eshonele khona.
Uhamba emhlabeni nje, inguzunga yeshodi ayishaya iBafana ibhekene neCongo-Brazzaville ngo-1997 isesezingqondweni zabathandi bakanobhutshuzwayo kuleli kwazisee iyona eyenza owayengumqeqeshi, uClive Barker, wandizisa okwendizamshini ekhombisa ukuthi siyaya eFrance lapho kwakuzodlalelwa khona iNdebe yoMhlaba okokuqala ngqa kukhona neNingizimu Afrika ngo-1998.
ILeeds uMasinga adlale kuyona ikhale kakhulu ngokushona kwalo mdlali abasamchaza njengomuntu oyilunga lomndeni wabo. Ngalesi sikhathi uMasinga wayedlalela iqembu elilodwa noLucas Radebe.
“Kusithusile futhi kusishayile ukuzwa izindaba ezimbi zokushona kukaPhil. Siwumndeni kwiLeeds ngakho-ke okwehlele umndeni wakwaMasinga kuyefana nokusehlele. Njengamanje sicabanga ngokukhulu ukujula ngaye nomndeni awushiye ngemuva,” sisho kanje isitatimende saleli qembu uMasinga alidlalele iminyaka emibili kusuka ngo-1994. Ngemuva kokudlala kahle kwiLeeds lapho ayesayiniswe khona uHoward Wilkinson ushiyile waya kwiSt Gallen yaseSwitzerland. Akahlalanga lapho wadlulela kwiSalernitana neBari yase-Italy.
UPHILEMON Masinga ejabulela igoli leBafana Bafana nomqeqeshi uClive Barker
Udlalele iBafana amahlandla angu-58 washaya amagoli angu-18. Umengameli weSouth African Football Association (Safa), uDanny Jordaan, uthe amancoko yiwona azomkhumbula ngawo uPhil.
“Wusuku olubi lolu ebholeni laseNingizimu Afrika. Ubemnene futhi ezimisele ukwenza noma yini ukukhulisa unobhutshuzwayo okuyinto abeyithanda kakhulu. Ubeyisibonelo ephakathi enkundleni nanoma esengaphandle futhi bekuyinto efanayo,” kusho uJordaan.
“Kulula kuleli ukuthi umuntu abizwe ngenkakha kodwa uPhil ubengeyona inkakha kithina sodwa kepha ubenjalo nasemhlabeni wonke jikelele. Akasekho. Alisekho iqhawe lethu. Akukuhle lokhu kodwa ngoba kuyintando yoMdali sithi kulungile. Silahlekelwe sonke kodwa umndeni wakhe nebhola laseNingizimu Afrika kushayekile. Ubengeyona inkakha ejwayelekile, ubeyinkakha yomhlaba,” kusho uBhuddha Mathathe weSouth African Masters and Legends.
“Kubuhlungu ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuthi sivuka ngezindaba ezimbi kanje. Siyohlale simkhumbulela into eyodwa uChippa, ukuqhulula amagoli. Kuzokuba nomzuzu wokumhlonipha uChippa namuhla (izolo) kuyona yonke imidlalo engaphansi kwePremier Soccer League. Lapho sikhuluma nge-Absa Premiership, National First Division (NFD) neMultichoice Diski Challenge (MDC). Namuhla sihlangene siyi-Afrika yonkana nomhlaba sihlonipha iqhawe lethu,” sisho kanje isitatimende sePSL.
I-Orlando Pirates ibe yiqembu lokuqala kuleli ukubhonga emswaneni ase elandela namanye amaningi njengeCape Town City khona izolo emini. Amaphephandaba amaningi ase-England abenalo lolu daba ngisho neSky Sports edume umhlaba wonke ikhulumile ngokushona kukaMasinga.
UMasinga udlale emazweni ahlanganisa i-England Switzerland nase-Italy kanti emaqenjini udlale kwiMamelodi Sundowns Leeds United Jomo Cosmos ukukha nje phezulu. Ubeyingxenye yeBafana elethe injabulo esizweni sonke ngo-1996 idlela ekhaya isicoco se-African Nations Cup (Afcon).