Marcel Desailly of France tackles Philemon Masinga (L) of South Africa during a 1998 World Cup group match in Marseille. AFP/GABRIEL BOUYS
Masinga passed away this past weekend at the age of 49.
Sono says Masinga is the third player he discovered and has had to bury after Sizwe Motaung passed away of an AIDS-related disease and Thomas Madigage died in a car accident.
“I, as a person, discovered all three players,” said Sono in an interview on Radio 702.
“It’s a big loss, they lived in the house where I brought them from – wherever they were coming from – they stayed with me for quite some time.
“They then moved to their rooms in Soweto, we didn’t have flats by then, we had rooms.
“And I took them to school, the club paid for their schooling, and I feel very, very sad and helpless (at the passing of Masinga). At his age and weight, he was very brave, skilful and for his height, normally these tall guys don’t have skill, they’re only good in the air.”
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