The struggles of former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lerato Chabangu has had many people wondering what pushed him to drown his career with a negative lifestyle.
Chabangu was one of the highly-rated youngsters during his time at the Brazilians and his impact was such that after his transfer to SuperSport United in January 2009, he made a surprise move back to the Brazilians, reportedly at the request of supporters.
The Tembisa-born lethal attacker had joined Sundowns in 2005 from University of Pretoria and had already made his Bafana debut and represented the national youth teams.
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Chabangu returned from his six-month stay at SuperSport with a damaged knee cartilage injury and after returning to the Brazilians ahead of the 2009/10 season, things started to go south for the then talented 24-year old, who had the world at his feet.
'All you need is love', as the skilful and pacey attacker is known, says he was told by the doctor treating his injury that he was not going to play football again and the thought of no longer having a football-playing career led to him going AWOL at Sundowns and taking it out on alcohol.
"It was pre-season, that's when I got the injury and the doctor said I'm no longer gonna play, that was sad," Chabangu revealed on PrimeSportsWithMahlatse YouTube Channel.
"I was like, 'I've got bills to pay, cars, the child must go to school, family to feed every month, that's when I went AWOL.
"I had everything. 2010, I was supposed to play (in the) World Cup, I was in the structure of playing 2010 World Cup but now I don't play.
"I was supposed to go to stadiums and said, 'No this thing will make me cry, let me watch on TV, let me drink. The guys were telling me I have to be there but I was injured. So I was like 'Ah, let me take it out on booze'," he said.
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Chabangu eventually returned from his knee injury towards the end of that 2009/10 season, in March and made only two league substitute appearances and was released at the end of that season, as his contract was terminated with a season still to run, reportedly for his off-the-field misbehaviour.
'All you need is love' spent six months without a club before former coach Gordon Igesund gave him a lifeline after he signed him for Swallows in January 2011.
Chabangu stayed at the Birds for four-and-half seasons but his career continued to spiral downwards after that, as he started playing for lower league sides.