‘SAMBA JIVE’ HITS 40

EZULWINI - He turned 40 yesterday to become the oldest active local elite football player.

Retirement is not even on his mind at the moment. That is Mbabane Swallows veteran winger Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko. “For me, playing till thus far means a lot. I guess it’s a record for me if I am not mistaken,” the soft-spoken Nhleko said yesterday.

Asked what his 40th birthday meant to him and of course, it was also put to him that he was right about the record, his response was   interesting. “To play up to 40, it’s not easy, so that’s how important this is to me,” he said.

He has spent over five successful seasons with Swallows including a historic unbeaten run for a whole season that extended to the CAF Confederation Cup group stages. He has won every trophy with Swallows since joining the red and white side, following a short stint with Malanti Chiefs, upon his return from his South African football spell.

Move

However, it all started back in his home team in Mankayane, Gege Happy Stars, then Denver Sundowns whereby his South African move to Black Leopards came about. “I think the most important thing that one is supposed to know as a sportsperson is respecting the body and taking care of it by eating healthy. “One also has to train regularly and last but not least, stay away from drugs and alcohol,” he responded to the question of how he has beaten many talented young players who emerged after him but never played even to the age 30.

Nhleko also made it clear that even at age 40, he was not yet thinking of retirement.
“I don’t know what life has in store for me, so I would say Swallows might not be my last team but if I do this my way I would love Swallows to be my last team,” he said. Nhleko only feels it is his international career that is over as he would not expect a national team call-up. “As for the national team, I played my part and I think I have to give way for youngsters to showcase their talent,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Nhleko has played longer than other renowned local former stars like Green Mamba official Mbuso Gina, then Eswatini international Dennis ‘Yuki’ Masina, who both went slightly above 30 years.  It now remains to be seen if his teammate Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze will hit 40 years as he is not far off, at 36 now. Furthermore, Nhleko has since equaled former Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs’s record who announced his retirement at age 40.

Locally, Manzini Sea Birds boss and Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Vice President Samora Simelane holds the oldest player record in the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) ranks, as he played until he hit 50 years but in the First Division. In Africa, Cameroon’s Rodger Miller played until he was 44 years.

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