Delron Buckley says both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates told him he was too old to play for them when he returned from a 13-year career in Europe in 2012.
The former Bafana Bafana winger said he called Chiefs and Pirates when his contract ended with Karlsruhe in Bundesliga II at age 34, but they weren't interested in the services of the former VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund player, who had been one of South Africa's most successful football exports.
The 39-year-old also expressed frustration that, having signed for Maritzburg United in 2012, his career ended at 35 in April 2014.
Buckley was released by United after a fallout with then coach Steve Komphela.
His former Bafana teammate and centreback Mark Fish has said that he believed Buckley should have continued playing for at least another two years.
"When my contract finished at Karlsruhe in 2013, I contacted a few clubs. But I was told that I was too old and I wasn't good enough," said Buckley.
"But then I got a phone call from Ernst Middendorp, because he knew I was a free agent, and he asked me if I was willing to go and play for Maritzburg United.
"And I said, 'Ja, of course. Definitely. I want to come home. I want to finish off my career at home.' Which I did, and I came back and played two years."
Buckley was speaking at the launch of his new book Delron Buckley, My Life, in Durban.
- TMG Digital
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