TBT: Isaac Mabotsa
In this week’s instalment of Throwback Thursday, former Kaizer Chiefs defender Isaac Mabotsa recalls a time when Jabu Pule (now Mahlangu) and Patrick Mbuthu cost Amakhosi the league title in 2001.
Former SuperSport United signing Isaac Mabotsa during a shoot in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images
Mahlangu and Mbuthu went AWOL on the eve of the crucial clash against Stars and Chiefs went on to lose the match and also lost out on the title.
“Jabu Pule (now Mahlangu) and Ace Mbuthu were talented players and it was an honour playing with them,” Mabotsa told Phakaaathi.
“Ace Mbuthu was a real character, both gents would be AWOL from camp and had we won that game against Free State Stars we would have been crowned league champions but we couldn’t find them over the weekend. We lost the game.
“When the new week started Ace Mbuthu came back to training and he just acted like nothing happened. Mushin Etrugral would be furious and Ace would just be calm and say he was Figo and training like nothing wrong happened. We were so angry and he would perform in the next match and we would forgive him.
“The building close to the training grounds had big windows, and they were dark so we never knew who was in there. Bra K (Kaizer Motaung) was in that office and could see us. Ace trained and he would score and go straight to the window and scream ‘Figo is back’ we were surprised after training he told us Bra K was in the office and that’s why he kept doing it. It was to upset Ertugral even more.”
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