Thandani Ntshumayelo Looks To Get His Career Back on Track, Footballer’s Father Helps Turn His Life Around

Thandani Ntshumayelo Looks To Get His Career Back on Track, Footballer’s Father Helps Turn His Life Around

Byron Pillay
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:57 PM
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  • Thandani Ntshumayelo was banned from playing professional soccer for four years after being caught with a banned substance
  • The former Orlando Pirates player was let go by the Buccaneers and was then unemployed as a result
  • Thandani Ntshumayelo has credited his father for helping him get back on his feet and he is now focused on his career with Swallows FC

Former Orlando Pirates footballer, Thandani Ntshumayelo, is focused on the future and getting his career back on track at Swallows FC.

The midfielder went through a rough patch in 2016 when he was banned for four years after he was caught with drugs. As a result, the Buccaneers released him and Ntshumayelo was left unemployed.

Thandani Ntshumayelo, Swallows, Soccer, Sport, Football, Swallows FC
Thandani Ntshumayelo looks to get his career back on track at Swallows FC after enduring a real rough patch. Image: @KickOffMagazine
Source: Twitter

Ntshumayelo explained that it was his father that helped him during the rough patch.

“My father was there. He said that I can’t let all the work I put in to get the house go down the drain.
“He paid for my house but he said because the cars I had were expensive, we had to get rid of them and he bought me a BMW X1,” Ntshumayelo said.

While his family were originally disappointed in him, they also stood beside him, knowing that he had done a lot for them while he was a professional footballer.

Ntshumayelo explained how he paid for his sister’s education and for his father to go medical school to become a doctor.

Now back from his ban, the player nicknamed Bibo, finally made his debut for his new club, Swallows FC.

Ntshumayelo joined the Dube Birds back in July 2021.

Coach Dylan Kerr has been impressed with Ntshumayelo’s work ethic and attitude since returning to professional football reported Sowetan LIVE.

“He’s been through a lot of personal problems and Swallows brought him back, giving him the opportunity. He’s been great in the dressing room; he’s been great on the training field,’’ said Kerr.

Swallows Football Club makes key signing as It looks to avoid relegation to National First Division

In other DStv Premiership related news, As Swallows Football Club continues to flirt with relegation, management has at least tried arresting their alarming fall down the table, Sports Brief recently reported.

The Dube Birds reportedly added former Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos player, Pentjie Zulu, this week to their nest. This was according to a source close to football publication Soccer Laduma.

Zulu was already training with the club ahead of the Nedbank Cup last 16 clash against Royal AM on Friday, where he will be hoping to make his debut for the club. It’s believed that the player has been signed on a four-month deal until the end of the season.

Authors
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Byron Pillay
Byron Pillay is a sports writer and Head of the Department at Sports Brief (joined in 2022) with over 10 years of experience in community journalism and a degree in journalism from Caxton's Cadet School.
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DStv PremiershipSouth Africa