In this week's edition of Where Are They Now, KickOff catches up with former Bidvest Wits defender Sipho Mngomezulu.
The 42-year-old retired right-back also played for various teams, including SuperSport United, Jomo Cosmos, Maritzburg United, Bidvest Wits, Moroka Swallows, and Chippa United. He hung up his soccer boots at Jomo Cosmos in 2017.
Are you happy with your playing days? How would you describe them?
"Honestly speaking, I feel I could have done more as a player, but I don't have regrets about how things turned out. I believe that with the talent I had, I could have achieved more. Obviously, it's every footballer's dream to play for a big team, and I think I could have done more to get noticed by either Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs.
"Not being able to play for the national team is one of my biggest regrets. There was a time I played under coach Pitso Mosimane at SuperSport United, and he used to tell me I was good enough to play for the national team, but only if I could improve in a few areas. I was only 23 at the time. If I had listened and made some changes, I could have reached that level.
"Pitso was the coach who fought for me to join SuperSport when Wits got relegated."
Did you make money from football?
"I did; I can say I made decent money. However, as you know, sometimes footballers spend money in ways they shouldn't. When challenges arise in life, you feel you could have made different choices.
"But I have no regrets. I'm living a decent life, and you won't read anything in the media about me struggling."
Where are you living now?
"I'm back home in Orlando West. After my divorce, I had to return home. After retiring from playing, things changed in my marriage, and we decided to separate. Unfortunately, the law tends to favor women in these situations, so everything had to be sold, including the house and some of the cars I owned. I had a house in Protea Glen Extension 7."
What jobs have you held since playing the game?
"After football, it took me two years to get back on my feet. Adjusting to life after being a professional footballer can be challenging."
What is your current job?
"I'm in partnership with a friend in the transportation business. We own some taxis that we use to transport school children. I also work with Bakwena Productions, a company owned by a friend of mine. Whenever they shoot a movie or a TV series, I'm usually there assisting them."
If you could do it again, what would you do differently?
"I would be wiser in choosing the people to represent me and be cautious about my friends. While I was still playing football, I was always surrounded by my so-called friends, but they all disappeared after I retired. Suddenly, I was no longer good enough for them; my phone calls were ignored, and I felt abandoned."