Lean and mean in his prime, Gwabeni is still fit as a fiddle

THE greasy, curly perm has been replaced by a clean chiskop that has grey hair mushrooming all over the crown.

This is about the only noticeable change in Alfred "Shakes" Gwabeni's appearance since he hung up his boots 12 years ago. While some former footballers permit pot bellies to take pride of place on previously tight six packs, Gwabeni's lean and mean greyhound torso remains intact.

At 46, he is as fit as a fiddle and proud of his physique.

"I am still so fit I leave most of the youngsters I play Sunday soccer against huffing and puffing. They are 25, 26 but can't keep up with an old man," he chuckles.

Gwabeni had a heartbreaking start to 2012. His wife of eight years, with whom he had one child, died on January 3. Her death came just four months after his close friend and former Pirates teammate Botsotso Makhanya died. "God is very cruel sometimes. I played with Tso for six years at Orlando Pirates and was married to my wife for eight. Now both are gone."

These days, the second of five siblings shifts between teaching youngsters the basics of football in his Dlamini, Soweto, neighbourhood and renovating houses.

In his heyday, Gwabeni was a daddy long legs who timed his tackles to perfection to regain possession and broke down opposition attacks with aplomb. His lean frame made him an unlikely ball winner but he was a mean grafter. His workaholic attributes endeared him to his teammates, including Johnny "Black Sunday" Masegela. The duo have been firm friends since their days at Jomo Cosmos and Pirates.

"He was born to be an athlete. His main attribute was his energy and strength. You would underestimate his body but he would do things you never thought a man of his size could do," remembers Masegela. "He and Eric September found me at Cosmos. I taught Shakes how to drive using a Cosmos team bus."

His first salary at Cosmos was R350. "We got R50 for a win and R25 for a draw," he laughs. Contrast that to the reported R450000 a month Elias Pelembe draws from Mamelodi Sundowns and it crystalises how the current generation are rolling in the moolah. "It is their time and we can't begrudge them. If we got R350, what about the players who were there before?"

Gwabeni made his pro debut at Cosmos in 1986, signed from Dlamini United Brains.

"My teammates were Pitso Mosimane, Masegela, Eric September, Gesond Vilakazi, Jomo himself, Webster Lechaba, Basil Gwangwa and Thomas Madigage." That bunch won the National Soccer League title in 1987 because "Jomo made us feel at home at all times. We were a tight group."

Things, nowadays, are not good at Cosmos. They have won only once in 15 matches and are bottom of the log. "Jomo needs somebody who can assist him with the team. He worked well with Roy Matthews, who was the coach. They understood one another."

In 1989 Gwabeni became a Buccaneer after Pirates paid Cosmos a R40000 transfer fee. Daniel Malesela, Mosimane, Masegela, Mike "Lollipop" Mhlanga, Basil "Kaap se Dans" Steenkamp, Stuart Johnson, Innocent Mayoyo, Albert "Bashin" Mahlangu, Jackie "Styles" Ledwaba were his Pirates mates. "Irvin Khoza has motivated them well. The results are showing because these boys can see the boss is back."

He says the Sea Robbers must strengthen the squad to launch a successful African Champions League assault. "We need more strikers and not depend only on Benni McCarthy. We also need more hard midfielders. We have good players at the back."