Former Premier Soccer League Player Says Some Teammates Came to Training Drunk

• There appears to be a normalised but disturbing trend of players arriving drunk to practice or matches
• Many footballers either have their own stories or have been witness to this irresponsible and destructive behaviour
• Respected former Premier Soccer League player Jabulani Maluleke shared his experiences of players indulging in this poor conduct

It appears that being intoxicated at work is almost a normal occurrence in South African football circles.

There are stories regularly in the media of players either arriving to practice or matches while intoxicated. Former professional football player Jabulani Maluleke revealed just how common this is.

The former SuperSport United player, now a coach among the club's junior teams, told TimesLIVE how he was disturbed by how drinking culture derailed several careers.

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He said:

“It is sad because the careers of some of our players were messed up by drinking and smoking. I don’t drink, but I have played and hung out a lot with people who drink. I have played with people who used to come to training drunk and I have rescued a lot of people calling me at 2am or 3am asking me to come and pick them up." 

“I had to make sure they wake up the next morning and if they don’t wake up I have to cover for them and say they are not feeling well. You must remember I was a captain and sometimes I had to cover for the guys." 

The 39-year-old Maluleke touched on how a lot of his ex-teammates who behaved as such were now struggling to make ends meet having been paid a lot of money during their playing days.

Infamously, Sports Brief reported on how former Orlando Pirates player Gerald Modabi had an outstanding match while intoxicated. He tried his best avoiding the referee that afternoon lest the official caught a whiff of his breath.

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Broos blasts 'drunk' Sundowns player

Maluleke's words come not long after Hugo Broos blasted forlorn Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Andile Jali for his antics.

Jali, as well as troublesome teammate Sipho Mbule, allegedly arrived to training at the club drunk on separate occasions. Sports Brief reported how the Bafana Bafana coach criticised this behaviour as highly unprofessional, saying that it sent the wrong message to younger players in the game.