In this edition of Story Behind The Nickname, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns legend Johannes 'Bricks' Mudau shares with KickOff the origin of his famous nickname.
Mudau, who enjoyed his football career at both Chiefs and Sundowns, reveals that the nickname "Bricks" has been with him since he was a young boy.
Who and where did you play?
"I was young when I got the nickname, I think I was around 6 or 7 years old. We played challenge matches in the streets, and the older boys in the neighbourhood were my teammates, they loved giving others nicknames. I remember we named one boy 'Killer' after the legendary Blessing 'Killer' Ngidi."
What is your nickname?
"Bricks."
Who gave it to you and why?
"My peers gave it to me. Apparently, there was a former player named 'Brixton' Maseko who played for Witbank Black Aces, and the nickname came from that. So, 'Bricks' is a name I grew up with. Even today, most people don't know my real name. I have lived with 'Bricks' all my life.
"I wouldn't know if there are similarities between me and Maseko because, to be honest, I never saw him play. Remember, we got our nicknames from the older boys, who probably saw him play. I don't really know what he was good at because back then I wasn't playing as a defender. I was probably a winger or a striker since I used to dribble a lot. Most of my teammates were much older than me."
Did you like it?
"I didn't care much because giving each other nicknames was the norm back then. The more you didn't like a nickname, the more it stuck, just to spite you."
Did you have any other nickname besides Bricks?
"I was once called 'Shuffle' after Elias 'Shuffle' Mokopane, but in the end, 'Bricks' is the one that stuck."
If you could relive it, what would you want your nickname to be?
"I wouldn't change 'Bricks' for anything, it's been with me since childhood, and I'm comfortable with it."