Limbikani Mzava has reflected on how he almost gave up after two years without a team and three successive rejections. However, his perseverance paid off last week as he lifted the Carling Knockout Cup with Magesi FC.
Magesi staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in the final. Mzava, the former Flames captain, has been instrumental in the team’s success.
He has started eight matches since returning to the pitch after a two-year absence. He played a crucial role in the Carling Cup campaign and the league matches.
“I stayed two seasons without a team [after leaving AmaZulu FC],” he told FARPost. “I was about to give up and say I’m done with football, but the coach said keep working. I’m proud of myself; I don’t know how to thank Clinton Larsen. He’s the same person who brought me to South Africa while at Bloemfontein Celtic. He’s brought me again here at Magesi.”
THE CLUBS THAT REJECTED MAGESI FC’S MZAVA
Mzava has revealed that three clubs turned him down during his difficult period despite his extensive experience.
“Things didn’t go well when I went to train with SuperSport [United]. When I went to Cape Town City FC, things didn’t go well, either,” he explained.
“Coach Middendorp called me [at Cape Town Spurs], and things didn’t go well either. When I returned, Coach Larsen said he would call me when they got promoted. Luckily, they got promoted, and they kept their word.”
Larsen says he knew it would take a very short time to get Mzava right physically. ”My fitness coach follows him on Instagram, and he was keeping very fit at the gym,” said Larsen.
“So, I knew it would take a very short time to get him right physically. So, after calling him, he agreed to come down for an assessment and from the first time, I could see that it was the same old Mzava I knew at Bloemfontein Celtic when I signed him as a 19-year-old, and he had come in with maturity, always giving advice to the younger players, making my job a lot easier as well.”
Mzava arrived in South Africa over 12 years ago, beginning his South African football journey with Celtic. He subsequently moved to Mpumalanga Black Aces, followed by stints at Golden Arrows, Highlands Park and AmaZulu FC.
Before his South African adventure, Mzava started his professional career with Tigers in Malawi. He later joined Escom United and captained the Malawi Under 17 team to the 2009 Africa Youth Championship finals in Algeria and the Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria that same year.
RELATED STORY: I have no hard feelings about my AmaZulu exit—Mzava
