Football takes Tower from St Faith’s to Spain
The teenager's football dream could become a reality. Time will tell.
A 17-year-old boy from the dusty streets of St Faiths village on the South Coast of KZN is expected to fly the region’s flag in Spain next month.
The boy in question, Nqubeko ‘Tower’ Mhlongo, is part of the Jomo Cosmos Academy squad which will play in the Madrid Cup.
Tower has been included in the U19 team.
“At first I could not believe it. I thought they might have made a mistake. Then I was called into the office and given forms to fill in, and sunk in that I really had been chosen to go to Spain. I can’t even describe the feeling I had.”
Tower’s journey has not been easy, considering that he has come from village football to compete with the ‘big boys’ from Johannesburg.
He was spotted last August when he represented FC Sebenza during the annual FC Bavarians Academy tournament, held at Vusushaba Sportfield in Oshabeni, near Port Shepstone.
Tower said he was scouted by Simphiwe Sports Development (SSD), which is based in Johannesburg.
He was taken to Jomo Cosmos Academy for assessment in September last year, and he made the grade, but had to come back and finish the school year before returning to Gauteng.
Simphiwe Gwambi, SSD founder and former player himself, said he has done his best to prepare Tower for bigger things, giving him the chance to play in Gauteng Development League.
“We hope he will be scouted by a major team in Spain. There will be more than 1 000 scouts at that tournament. My wish is for him to get a contract there. Tower can play football and he is a reliable player with a good football brain,” said Gwambi.
He flies out on August 18, with tournament due to kick off on August 22. It ends on September 3.
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