Khuboni, Lived Up To Next Sugar Ray Xulu billing.

The late Cedric “Sugar Ray” Xulu is widely considered as one of the greatest footballer South Africa has ever produced. Throughout his playing, the midfielder represented his township of Clermont, the city of Durban honoured him by naming a sports ground after him, now known as the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium.

Another son who has went to represent the Clermont very well is Thanduyise Khuboni, he grew up with the tag of being the heir to Sugar Ray Xulu. “Although I never got watched Sugar Ray Xulu, but I was able to see old videos of him playing. People would say to me ‘we want you to be like Sugar Ray Xulu, we want you to represent Clermont,” said Khuboni. From come up to the crowing moment of his career playing at the world cup, Khuboni represented Clermont well.

For those who are from Clermont, it was evident that Thanduyise Khuboni would go to be special as they watched him turn up for teams like Fabs, Young Masters, Sugar Ray FC; the football club of Sugar Ray Xulu, and his school Sithokozile Secondary School. While playing for school, Khuboni would grab the eye of Umqhele High School teacher Mr. Bonke; who was the school’s sports coach and involved with the Lamontville Golden Arrows development, when the two local schools squared off, Mr. Bonke was impressed.

“Mr. Bonke saw me playing in Clermont during a game between our schools and after the match we exchanged numbers, and he told me that he would come to pick me up after school so we can go to the Golden Arrows practice. So, I went regularly to the Golden Arrows practices, and they liked me, and I was also comfortable. I eventually started going own my own to practice, I would catch a taxi from Clermont to the Golden Arrows training ground. That’s how I joined Arrows, I moved up the ranks to the reserves and then to the first team.”

During his formative years playing in Clermont, Khuboni able to find an identity on the field of play, one of the greatest midfielders of his generations once plighted his trade as a winger and centre back on occasions, but would settle down as a midfielder.

“Growing up as young boy, I didn’t always play as a midfielder. I remember at Sugar Ray FC I was a left winger. When I was young, I had a small body structure, I had pace and skill, and my left foot was good. Then at Young Mates, I moved to midfield, I started growing in the position, at times I played centre back, but midfield became my established position.”

Fast forward to the Golden Arrows first team, all the positional experiment from when he was young would pay dividends, as he would be able to hold his own when playing with seasoned professionals. He promotion, was bittersweet as he left behind the reserves, who seemingly had the number of the first team during the clubs in house matches.

“When I got promoted to the first team, I arrived with mixed emotions, I was nervous. I was joining a team did not know, I did not know how the players played or how they would treat me, I was still young; I think it happens to every player. But as time went on, I got to know the guys and they also understood my style of play. They say ‘if you know how to play football, you will quickly adjust to a new team especially if the side has great players’, that was the case with me. Arrows have always had great talents, from guys before I got there and my generation; we had guys from Maritzburg, Chesterville, chaps from different townships who had great talent.”

Coaches and players are able to form a treasurable bond in football and outside of it. The chemistry and admiration between the two can be evident for all to see as they play a huge influence on each other’s careers and lives. Former Golden Arrows Head Coach Manqoba Mngqithi and Thanduyise Khuboni had a great relationship, one of mutual respect and adoration. Mngqithi gave Khuboni his big break and the player would be one of the first names the esteemed coach had on his team list.

“My relationship with Coach Manqoba has always been a good one. Manqoba is not dictator coach, one who wants things to be done his way all the time, he listens to those around him. He could be your coach, friend, brother and father; he showed a lot of compassion towards us, he understood us. If you were not well, he could see and pull you to the side and ask ‘what’s wrong my boy,’ if he saw your performances below standard, he paid attention to our family issues. He was like that with everyone, all the young players were groomed by him, he believed in youngsters.”

Mngqithi during his time at Arrows established a formidable midfield partnership between Thanduyise Khuboni and Kagisho Dikgacoi. The duo from Arrows helped each other grow on the field, improved their games and both went on to be cement their legacies as midfield greats from that partnership.

“My partnership with Kagiso Dikgacoi, it was a strong partnership. It was identified by Coach Manqoba Mngqithi when he took over as head coach. He knew I was a hard worker; I could mark and intercept, and he saw that KG and I could complement each. Coach Manqoba wanted the team’s midfield to be strong because if the midfield is weak then the defence would be exposed. So, with us in midfield he knew the team would be strong at the back and going forward in attack. We could defend and make the team play.”

24 October 2009 is a day embraided in South African football history and one Lamontville Golden Arrows won’t forget. On this day, under the guidance of Manqoba Mngqithi is won their sole trophy beating Ajax Cape Town 6-0 in the MTN 8 final. If you watched the final, you were most probably in disbelief throughout the match. You know how Mike Tyson said he knew he had already defeated his opponents before they stepped into the ring; that’s how Arrows felt that night. They dominated Ajax Cape Town similar to how Brock Lesnar does with WWE Superstars. Thanduyise Khuboni was part of the team that made his and for him what stood out was the preparation process to the game and how the team was ready for encounter.

“In the PSL (Premier Soccer League) I do not think there has been teams that ever been that ready for a game like we were. Physically and mentally we were prepared for the match, we told ourselves that we will be going all out, even if we were to lose the game, we wanted to give it everything. The coach told us to us to give everything in the field of play because we had nothing to lose.
I remember we had fitness trainers from Brazil, and their training was of the top level. We trained at the twice a week, that made things easier when we stepped onto the field, it ensured we had endurance, power and everything. The major reason we the final, was our fitness, we had speed and our goals were from counter attacks. And the Ajax team had slow defenders, we knew if we were to get the ball behind the defence, we will get many goals.
Whenever we won the ball, we looked for our wingers and our striker Richard Henyekane; he had pace, he was the fastest player in our team, we knew if we played the ball to him; he would leave the Ajax defence. Our planning for the game was on point, our training and everything was on point. That’s why we managed to score six goals; I don’t think in the PSL era there will be a final like that.”

During the time of segregation in South Africa, there was a monumental moment in the football sphere of the country. In 1973 The South Africa Blacks IX took on the British All Stars, the Blacks Only team was captained by Sugar Ray Xulu. The Blacks Only team lost the match 3-2. For Sugar Ray Xulu that match is a standout in his career as he captained the side of the oppressed natives, he was not representing his home town of Clermont but a nation. Thanduyise Khuboni got honour of representing his country and play at the FIFA World Cup. The two are similar, maybe different times and circumstances but they represented or stood for something bigger than them.

South Africa during the period of the 2010 world cup was blessed with talented midfield and for Khuboni to make it to the 23-man squad show what kind of a class act he was. When you are at the traffic department doing your learners license and waiting for the results to be announced you wait with great anticipation and anxiety because you put in the work; when you name is not called up you become deflated but when call you are the happiest person in the world; now feeling is close what you experience when being called up for the World Cup squad.

“When I was named in 23-man squad, I was very happy. I was scared thinking they will not choose me, even though I was there from day one for the preparations, and I was part of all the pre games. The coach, Alberto Parreira liked me, he believed in my talents and abilities as a youngster. So, when the day of the squad announcement came, I had fear but at the same time I had no fear, I was expecting any outcome but I had assurance because I played every preparation game.
So, when they called my name, I was very happy, I got to my room; I was sharing with Siyabonga Sangweni, and I called home and told my told my mother I had been called up for the World Cup squad.”

Khuboni featured in Bafana Bafana’s 3-1 victory against France, in Bloemfontein. The win was not enough to rescue South Africa’s campaign but being part of that game and playing in the World Cup is something the former Bafana international midfielder is proud of.

“The game in Bloemfontein, is one I won’t forget as the MTN 8 final against Ajax. I was part of the game, I played and we won; even though we did not win by enough goals to go through, but being part of the game was an achievement. Playing against Frank Ribery, Thierry Henry and all the other players, rubbing shoulders with them was special. I contributed during the game and I will always be proud of myself. I will never forget being at the World Cup, it was a great moment.”

Sugar Ray Xulu is undoubtably the king of Clermont and Khuboni is the prince as he went on to have a career that Sugar Ray would be proud, leaving up to the expectations his township had for him. By the age of 24 Khuboni had already achieved legend status but went on to further establish his name with continued stint at Arrows and turning up for; Black Aces, Highlands Park and Uthongathi.