In this edition of Locker Room Secrets, KickOff has none other than cool-as-a-cucumber former Ajax Cape Town defender Andile Sixaba, famously remembered for bottling some of the best strikers the PSL had to offer.
Sixaba retired in 2009 after playing for clubs like Hellenic, Seven Stars, Ikapa Sporting, and Hanover Park FC.
Who was always late?
"No one specific. Remember, we were mostly coached by European coaches, so everybody wanted to show commitment, even though we still arrived late [laughs]. We had the likes of Rob MacDonald coaching us.
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"People would come up with the usual excuses, like traffic. Eventually, the coaches grew tired of hearing our never-ending traffic stories and decided to fine us if we were late. If you were late, you had to buy drinks for the Locwhole team, otherwise you wouldn't be included in the 18-man squad for the next match."
Any interesting rituals before games?
"Sam Pam Jr. would pray before every match we played, and because of that, he was made captain. He did have captain qualities, I must admit."
Who was the jokester?
"Moeneeb Josephs. He knew how to keep the team spirit high. What a character!"
Was there any use of muti in the change room?
"At Ajax, no way! I don't remember us ever being taken to a secluded place to meet a muti man. Prayer was the order of the day. Even when Gordon Igesund joined us from Orlando Pirates, he had some experience with muti after spending time there, but he was shocked to learn that we didn't use it. I believe people use it just to protect themselves because, at the end of the day, it's 11 v 11."
Who was the singer?
"All the young boys, like Jeremy Jansen and David Kannemeyer, loved to sing. They would make us sing in Afrikaans [laughs]."
Who was the best- and worst-dressed?
"Junaid Hartley was the best-dressed. As for the worst-dressed, it was almost the whole team [laughs]. People were always in the club's tracksuits, even when we were going to functions."
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Who never showered?
"No one. We all showered."
Rate the coach's team talks:
"Nah, they were all the same to me. They were too serious."