Molangoane: 'Chiefs took good care of me during that career-threatening injury'

Marumo Gallants veteran midfielder Joseph “Tight” Molangoane is looking forward to the start of the new season and says the lessons he has learnt in football have made him tough.

Gallants will open their 2022/23 campaign against Stellenbosch FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday, August 6.

The former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs attacking forward says he is also indebted to Amakhosi after they did not dump him when his career looked like it was over after a horrendous injury. 

In August 2018, his shin snapped like a twig after a 50/50 situation with Free State Stars’ strapping defender Makhehleni Makhaula. He was 30 years old.  

“Chiefs helped me a lot in terms of my injury and healing, so that I find myself in this position that I am today, where I am still able to make a living through football. It was not easy at all at that time. I also prayed a lot and the support I got from home was amazing and the most important thing when I was going through the worst,” said Molangoane. 

“Chiefs gave me another year in my contract where they were taking care and looking after me so that I am all right. I will never ever forget that and will forever be thankful to them for the kind of treatment they gave me. Other clubs could have easily got rid of me and released me after that incident and injury. Today I am still playing and able to support my family. I was losing hope and was scared that my career was over but the Chiefs physio Dave Milner always told me that I will play again and that I will get to my best again. I was improving with every game but I was also worried that I was not there at the level where I wanted to be,” he added.

“I have been in football for a long time and have been through a lot of challenges. I started at the Orlando Pirates development when I was 12 years old. When I arrived, football taught me to be strong because it is difficult. That’s why you find the current crop of players giving up easily these days.

“At Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, I was ordered to wash my playing kit and I was surprised and they took me to a DC hearing. When the new chairman Abram Sello bought the team and changed the name to Marumo, I sat down with him and we spoke like father and son. I explained to him my situation with the former bosses, and about monies owed to me. I pleaded with him that I just wanted to play football and we can forget about a lot of things that happened previously. Things are going well and I am able to do what I know best and that’s to play football.”

About the new season, Gallants recently unveiled their new coach, 31-year-old Romain Folz, and their latest signings Sam Nkomo, Koketso More and Lesiba Nku.

Gallants reached the final of the Nedbank Cup where they agonisingly lost 1-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns.

“The technical team and the technical director Harris Choeu are very good when it comes to identifying talent and reinforcing the team. I am happy we did not lose many of our players because we are going to need a lot of experienced players since we will play in the CAF Confederation Cup. We are ready for the new season and working hard,” Molongoane said.

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.