JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 25: Kaizer Chiefs legend Ntsie Maphike during the Kaizer Chiefs Kappa kit launch at The Galleria on July 25, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Normally, playing for your country is a privilege and something to be proud of, though there are exceptions such as this special case where a South African from Kaizer Chiefs turned down representing Bafana Bafana.
Ntsie Maphike has told Robert Marawa how he turned down a call-up to Bafana Bafana back in his playing days. It was the pressure of jugging between his soccer career and his academics that led to the tough decision.
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‘Teargas’ had instead chosen to focus on finishing his honours degree at University.
“I was under pressure at school, my professors, lecturers at school. Everyone else was just putting pressure on me to complete, remember an honours degree normally takes you about two years and I was on one-and-a-half and was sort of lacking behind with a few chapters I had to complete then and we were worried,” Maphike told Marawa Sports Worldwide.
“So, they called me in and said ‘you are this brilliant player loved by all in this country but we’re also worried about the progress you’ve made so far in terms of finishing your honours and agreeing to the call-up’. I knew I wouldn’t finish,” he added.
Having played for Amakhosi three decades ago, the 58-year-old also confirmed to the Chiefs official site that he will receive his LLB Degree (in law) during a graduation ceremony at UNISA in April or May.
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“So, I decided to say ‘look let me finish my studies first because football will always be there for me’. I was still young, I had plenty of time to say I’m done with the honours degree now I can always come back and play. I did.”
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t go back to the Bafana Bafana set-up, but look I don’t regret anything, no regrets whatsoever,” Maphike said.
Chiefs went on to congratulate Maphike for his hard work in completing his law qualification.
“We celebrate Ntsie Maphike’s remarkable achievement and commend him for his dedication and commitment to furthering his education. His success serves as a reminder that with hard work, perseverance, and a supportive network, anything is possible. Congratulations to Ntsie Lancelot Maphike on this impressive feat, and we wish him all the best as a qualified legal practitioner,” read a statement on the Chiefs official site.
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