Former Orlando Pirates captain Oupa Manyisa says he was forced to play football and he’s done with the game at the age of 35.
Manyisa enjoyed an interesting career, with five league titles, a double treble winner with Pirates, AFCON quarter-finalist with South Africa but as he now calls it quits – there’s a sense of what could have been.
But the veteran midfielder has no regrets over what transpired, as the last five years yielded only 14 appearances in the top-flight as he left Sundowns, after injury troubles, for TTM – where he left before his debut – Chippa United and then Platinum City Rovers.
There were talks over moves to La Masia and even Botswana but Manyisa speaking on the Bettor Pod says it’s the right time to say it’s over.
“I don’t watch football, [the last game I watched] was Orlando Pirates and Sundowns [this season]. It was the first time I went to the stadium [since not playing], I don’t watch on TV, I never wanted to play football, I was forced to play at school,” Manyisa said.
“I don’t know but I never wanted to play, the teachers at school [forced me], and when the school lost I would get a hiding, every Wednesday and Friday. And they said I needed to play football because all my uncles did and it meant something [talent was] there.
“I don’t know [why I didn’t love football], I just wanted to stay at home with my grandparents, they were always treating me nice.”
When probed whether the natural love for the game not being there curtailed his desire to push further in his career, he stated it was the two major injuries, which he never fully recovered to be the player who once dominated midfields in the South African top-flight.
“For me, it was injuries [that hindered my career], I broke both of my legs, Pirates was the left leg, Sundowns was the right leg – then from there, I said ‘Nah, I can’t do this anymore’, I can’t be walking with crutches at 35-years-old.
“For now, I’m done [I’m retired], I’ve never mentioned anything [in the media] but for me and football [I’m done], I think I need to make a proper announcement.”
