Junior Thabo Khanye is unhappy with incidents of former players struggling to adapt to life after football. Stories of ex-players who have gone down the hill after retirement from football are rife and worrisome.
Khanye has expressed dissatisfaction with the trend and hopes that there are measures to arrest the situation.
Earlier in the week, former Bidvest Wits and Orlando Pirates defender Patrick ‘Boka’ Phungwayo was arrested, and the news hit Khanye with shock and pain. The saddening news has prompted Khanye to advice on the situation. Khanye is still digesting the tragic death of former Kaizer Chiefs star Lucky Maselesele.
The 36-year-old Malanti Chiefs winger said these stories sadden him. With the dust of Lucky Maselesele’s death yet to settle, the arrest of Phungwayo comes as a rude shock.
According to Khanye, he understands the pain of being without an income. The struggles to adjust to life after football are real, and he can relate to it following seven years where he struggled to get a club. He said life was misery for him until he got some engagements and put his life back on track.
Khanye claims to have four kids, a wife and a mother to support – a heavy burden to carry due to being without a job. The death of his father made coping with the pain harder. Khanye said life changed, and things became challenging as he lost his car, was without friends, and the women who hung around him disappeared.
Khanye refrained from pronouncing a guilty verdict on Phungwayo but said the real story remains unknown. Khanye claims that a close aide told him that Boka is not guilty of the accusations.
Khanye also advised ex-players to refrain from actions that could put them in danger and lead to loss of life.
“Don’t get yourself involved in things that will expose you to the danger of losing your life because should you die, you will leave your children vulnerable and with no one to take care of them,” an emotional Khanye said.