I am not a crybaby

Thomas Kwenaite: Cyril, how painful was it to fail by a single point to make it into the promotional/relegation Play-Offs?

Cyril Chibwe:

It was really painful failing by a point because we had it in the palm of our hands. We smelt it and felt we really stood a good chance. But I feel we were disappointed in ourselves. Prior to the last game, the previous two games against Casric Stars and Durban City, I think that’s where we lost it because had we won these two games we would be talking a different story. The Durban City game really dented our chances because, had we won that one, it would have been straight to the Play-Offs, even if we lost our last game.

TK: Could changing coaches perhaps have something to do with Black Leopards losing their footing a little bit?

CC:

The changing of coaches, to be honest, can sometimes make or break the team. There are players who adapt quicker, but there are others who take more time to adapt. With the previous coach, you can understand, we started the season with him, and he left in January. So, you can imagine there was an attachment, he was close to the players and maybe that also distracted quite a few players. I think after that, we took our foot off the pedal a bit.

TK: Leopards went through a wobble during the middle of the season before picking up form again towards the end. What caused that wobble when they produced inconsistent results?

CC:

I think we went through seven games without a win, and it was a lot. Then they brought in coach Zeca Marques, coach Joel Masutha and coach Abel Makhubela. We tried, but it didn’t work out with coach Zeca, and he also left. We were then left with coach Masutha and Makhubela and the funny part is we started picking up points. After coach Zeca left, we were a bit distracted. I think at least coach Masutha knew the system and the culture. The moment they appointed him as the head coach, the players were more open, and we started doing well.

TK: Few people are aware that you were born in South Africa but play for the Zambian national team.

CC:

I think in 2018 was when everything came to light. A lot of people didn’t know until that time that my parents were from Zambia. I was born and raised in Rustenburg, so, nna ke a buwa, ke ngwana wa Rustenburg. (I speak Setswana. I am a child born and raised in Rustenburg). After that, they were surprised as to why I would choose Zambia and how long I had been in South Africa. So, I was like, “Hmm, don’t get it twisted.” I think I was about 27 or 28. Mind you, I’d never been to Zambia my whole life. For 28 years, I had been in South Africa. So, my choosing Zambia is a way of saying thanks to my dad because he also played professionally but never

Last season, Black Leopards came within a point of securing a position in the promotional Play-Offs, thanks in large part to the safe hands of their goalkeeper, Cyril Chibwe. The 32-year-old, whose career spans various clubs, proved to be one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the league. In sister. The last born Calvin, started with Orbit College, he was also with Orlando Pirates DStv Diski Challenge team. I was the fortunate one to play professionally and internationally in the family. We often discuss it like: “What if South Africa calls you? Are you going to go? What if Zambia comes calling?” I was saying I would go to my roots because, to be honest, I’d never been to Zambia, and playing for Zambia would fill that void. I don’t regret choosing Zambia.

TK: How would you have reacted had South Africa called you up before coach Wedson Nyirenda selected you?

CMC:

This one always catches people by surprise. Funny enough, the South African national team manager called me, saying that they got my number from my then club coach Bernard Molekwa, and that I had to report to Port Elizabeth. That’s when I explained to the manager that I was actually going to be representing Zambia. After I dropped the call, I didn’t know if they communicated with each other. But after speaking to the Bafana manager, Zambia called me and said, “We have booked your ticket; you are flying through to do your passport application.”

TK: Do you still remember exactly when this whole process started?

CC:

It started when I was with Platinum Stars. We qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup and played MC Alger in Algeria. We lost 2-1 and came back on a Tuesday to do recovery at the Royal Marang hotel

this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Thomas Kwenaite, he expresses the pain he felt after losing to Durban City, a loss that affected Black Leopards’ promotional chances. He also reveals how, as a young goalkeeper, he had

call me up. That’s where my story about representing Zambia started, but Bafana

successful trials with Kaizer Chiefs, but Stuart Baxter told him that the club needed someone who could play right away and challenge Itumeleng Khune. The Rustenburg-born goalkeeper also reveals why he turned down the national call-up to represent Bafana Bafana and chose Zambia.

that moment, I realised that, you know what? I made the best decision of my life, and I never looked back.

TK: What went through your mind as you substituted Sebastian Mwange in your debut match?

CC: I think it was against Benin. I didn’t expect that I was going to play. I barely trained with the team because I arrived in Zambia on Monday. Tuesday was spent applying for my passport and Wednesday I got my passport so on Thursday, I flew to the match venue and the match was on Saturday. For me, I was like probably

MY STORY “THAT’S WHERE REPRESENTING ABOUT BUT ZAMBIA STARTED, CALLED BAFANA BAFANA ME FIRST.”

they wanted me to get used to the players but evidently the coach had something else in mind. I think in the second half when they changed and threw me in, I was like wow. Thankfully, I had guidance from Augustine Mulenga and the late Justin Shonga, who were regulars. I was a bit calm, and they kept on advising me, telling me this and that so that I could understand more, but it was the best feeling ever.

TK: After playing your club football in South Africa since you turned professional, how did it feel turning out for work, they are dealing with fitness. You run the whole morning session and in the afternoon sessions it gets a little better because we do the session with the ball. So, every Tuesday it used to be a double session throughout the season.

TK: How was the adaptation to the Zambian way of life and embracing the culture after spending your life in South Africa?

CC:

I am not a crybaby, but I really struggled to adapt to the way of life that side. But the moment I just grasped it, when I started understanding it, things became a bit easier. I just loved how they embraced the culture, and I got to know a lot about my parents, their roots, other family members I had never met. Whenever I was in Zambia someone would call claiming to be a relative and expressing a wish to meet me. But I never entertained those people until my mom called me from home and said there is this person that’s coming to see you, he is a family member from my side. And I got to meet my uncle. He used to come every time we played at Nkana Stadium and I got to know and embrace the culture. That’s what I’m grateful for even more. I don’t really struggle a lot because a lot of things you find here in South Africa you will also find in Zambia, but whenever I needed something that was unavailable I just asked my partner to courier it.

TK: Which striker has given you sleepless nights when playing against him? CC: It has always been Khama Billiat. We played against them at the FNB Stadium with Polokwane City and he gave me hell, even though I got the Man of the Match accolade. He threw everything at me, his shots in every tricky way imaginable. He was coming at me firing missiles and I kept on saving them. Two weeks later it was an international break and guess who I was meeting again? Khama Billiat with Zimbabwe. But that time he made sure he scored and then came up to me and said: “It was painful what you did to me against Polokwane City.” I guess another striker that gave me a tough day has to be Sadio Mane of Senegal. We had a friendly game against them with coach Micho (Milutin Sredojevic) in charge, he is on another level of football altogether and you just never know what he will throw at you. He was very tricky every time he came at you as a goalkeeper.

TK: Thank you so much Cyril. CMC: It was a pleasure Big Man!