Legendary Shoes will remain SA’s favourite
Many may have mistaken cheers in the crowd as boo’s each time John ‘Shoes’ Lesiba Moshoeu touched a ball when playing for the mighty Amakhosi or Bafana Bafana.
His dazzling runs, mind blowing skills and his passion for football in South Africa have made the man popularly known as Shoes, a true legend of South African football.
After losing a battle to cancer on April 21, the community of Tembisa will remember Shoes as someone who has had great success as a player and as a football mentor.
According to Zinki Mnisi, from the Tembisa United Football Association (TUFA), “Shoes was simply a beautiful player. He will also be remembered for the key role he played in mentoring aspiring football players in the country.”
For many who may not know, he failed to break into the Amakhosi first team and joined the Mohlakeng-based Giant Blackpool for R3 000.
At Blackpool, he was part of the ‘Triple M’ combination with Fani Madida, Geelbooi Masango and himself.
He helped Blackpool reach the infamous 1991 JPS Cup Final, where he ended up on the losing side against Dynamos.
Along with Doctor Khumalo, the two were more than a handful with their defence-splitting passes, amazing runs and overall showmanship on the soccer field. These attributes became key factors in helping Bafana Bafana lift the African Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1996.
He chose Kaiser Chiefs over Orlando Pirates when he was signed at a record fee of R250 000.
After his stint playing in the Turkish league, he returned to Kaiser Chiefs at the age of 37 and proved to still be a valuable player for the club.
After leaving Amakhosi, he then joined Amazulu before his retirement at the age of 42, in 2008.
