Niang on retirement U-turn: ‘I was bored’
Less than a month after he decided to hang up his boots, Mame Niang decided to lace them up again and rejoined the University of Pretoria in the National First Division.
Mame Niang (R) of University of Pretoria (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Niang has already played his first game against Witbank Spurs, where he made an immediate impact, scoring a goal and making an assist to mark his return at Tuks.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United striker has explained why he made the sudden U-turn, citing boredom as one of his reasons to crave being on the field again.
“There is a time in your life that you feel you need to spend more time with your family and I decided that am going to stop,” said Niang.
“Tuks called me and asked if I could come help and I said why not because I was bored and that is how it happened. Not much because I have been chilling at home and focusing on my businesses and those I used to handle with my handle,” he added.
Niang’s immediate target is to help Tuks return to the Absa Premiership.
“Right now it is about staying in the top five because if you are there a lot can happen and form there we will see what will happen. We need to try and get the team to the PSL, that is the only focus. I can’t really focus on goals because I know they will come, I have a goals in me,” said Niang.
He continued: “I want to score goals and if I get to double figures I think it will help the team. There are a lot of aerial balls and we have a short team when it comes to the defence, so I will play a huge to help them at the back.”
At age 34, he has his sights set on coaching after his playing career is over and is currently working on his coaching badges. However, in the immediate, he does not dismiss the idea of going on to play until he reaches 40 years like veteran striker Siyabonga Nomvethe, who has called it time on his 20-decade long career.
“That guy (Nomvethe) is a pigeon, he has got a small body… I am an animal,” Niang chuckled.
“It is basically all about how you take care of yourself at the end of the day, but I don’t think so… we will see how it goes.”
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