News / National
Katsande deserves legendary status: Tovey
03 Jan 2021 at 02:42hrs | Views
SOUTH African soccer legend Neil "Mokoko" Tovey believes former Warriors captain Willard Katsande has earned legendary status at Kaizer Chiefs, but accepts that it will be up to the club and its supporters to decide if he is worthy of the recognition.
Tovey, who played for Chiefs from January 1991 until he retired in 1999, is one of Chiefs' most successful players of his generation having led Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title as the South Africa national team captain.
The retired central defender is widely regarded as a legend not only at Chiefs, but in South African football as a whole and he reckons Katsande, who is approaching a decade of service at the Johannesburg club, has now achieved legendary status himself.
"He has earned it, you know, he has earned it. It's up to the club and the fans to decide on that," Tovey told the South African football publication KickOff.com when asked if the Zimbabwean deserved legendary status at the club.
Katsande, regarded as one of the most combative midfielders in South African football, will celebrate 10 years with the Amakhosi in 2021 after making his big move from Ajax Cape Town on August 1, 2011.
The former Warriors captain, who is affectionately known as "Boss Yamboka Kitoko Makasi", has now played more than 300 games for South Africa's glamour club, where he has won two league titles and the MTN8 title.
"Well, that's not for me, that's for the fans to decide on...but 10 years at Chiefs ja, I mean why not? It's a long time. It's takes a lot of dedication, lot of hard work. I mean you don't last 10 years if you have not put much of an effort and dedication to the club. You don't last. And it's not (under) one coach, he's obviously had lots of coaches," Tovey said of Katsande.
"So for you to last 10 years all the coaches have liked what you've done. So to play 10 years it shows you've done something good for the club. You know there's not a lot of players who played 10 years for a club. It shows the club believes in you and you believe in the club."
Katsande has been a rock in midfield for Chiefs for almost 10 years since moving from Ajax Cape Town ahead of the 2011/12 South African domestic season.
The experienced anchorman is now part of Chiefs' leadership group, regularly handed the armband and given the responsibility to lead the team on the field of play.
The veteran defensive midfielder's contract with Amakhosi was extended by one season in January 2020 and it will expire when the current campaign ends.
Katsande (34) has, however, struggled for game time this term with Njabulo Blom and Anthony Akumu preferred ahead of him and he has started just five games across all competitions and will be hoping for a change of fortunes this year.
Tovey, who played for Chiefs from January 1991 until he retired in 1999, is one of Chiefs' most successful players of his generation having led Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title as the South Africa national team captain.
The retired central defender is widely regarded as a legend not only at Chiefs, but in South African football as a whole and he reckons Katsande, who is approaching a decade of service at the Johannesburg club, has now achieved legendary status himself.
"He has earned it, you know, he has earned it. It's up to the club and the fans to decide on that," Tovey told the South African football publication KickOff.com when asked if the Zimbabwean deserved legendary status at the club.
Katsande, regarded as one of the most combative midfielders in South African football, will celebrate 10 years with the Amakhosi in 2021 after making his big move from Ajax Cape Town on August 1, 2011.
The former Warriors captain, who is affectionately known as "Boss Yamboka Kitoko Makasi", has now played more than 300 games for South Africa's glamour club, where he has won two league titles and the MTN8 title.
"Well, that's not for me, that's for the fans to decide on...but 10 years at Chiefs ja, I mean why not? It's a long time. It's takes a lot of dedication, lot of hard work. I mean you don't last 10 years if you have not put much of an effort and dedication to the club. You don't last. And it's not (under) one coach, he's obviously had lots of coaches," Tovey said of Katsande.
"So for you to last 10 years all the coaches have liked what you've done. So to play 10 years it shows you've done something good for the club. You know there's not a lot of players who played 10 years for a club. It shows the club believes in you and you believe in the club."
Katsande has been a rock in midfield for Chiefs for almost 10 years since moving from Ajax Cape Town ahead of the 2011/12 South African domestic season.
The experienced anchorman is now part of Chiefs' leadership group, regularly handed the armband and given the responsibility to lead the team on the field of play.
The veteran defensive midfielder's contract with Amakhosi was extended by one season in January 2020 and it will expire when the current campaign ends.
Katsande (34) has, however, struggled for game time this term with Njabulo Blom and Anthony Akumu preferred ahead of him and he has started just five games across all competitions and will be hoping for a change of fortunes this year.
Source - the standard
