Masango on how business took him away from football

More than five years since he vanished from the football fields, former Kaizer Chiefs attacker Mandla Masango says he has never announced his retirement from football but went into business because he wanted to concentrate on his future and that of his family.

Masango last kicked the ball for SuperSport United in 2017, when they won the Nedbank Cup trophy beating Orlando Pirates in the final.

Speaking in what was his first public event on behalf of Amakhosi, during the Carling Black Label Cup activation in Johannesburg yesterday, Masango says even though football remains his first love, business interests took over.

œObvious I wanted to build something for myself, I didn™t wanna end up like following the other guys footsteps, so I just wanted to build something that I know will look after me."

œI want to leave a legacy for my kids - for my future kids because I don™t have kids now, so yah for my future kids and for my family one day, because you know football is a short career, you need to have something on the side that will make a living for you, said Masango.

Now only 33 and should still be active on the field, the former South African junior international footballer, says he will never desert football.

œFootball is my life, everything I have I owe it to football, I will never desert football. Whenever football comes calling, I will go running because everything I am it™s because of football."

œI love and respect football, I will give my all to football whether playing or whatever role given I will always give my best for football. I owe my life to football, Masango cocluded.

By Velile Mnyandu