In our latest feature of Where Are They Now, KickOff catches up with former Kaizer Chiefs striker Thembinkosi Biyela.
Biyela says times are tough for former footballers who are unemployed as there was not much money in football during his era.
Who am I?
"I played for Blackpool, Highlands Park, Welkom Eagles, Witbank Aces, Moroka Swallows, Kaizer Chiefs, and Umtata Bucks. I also played for Ria Stars.
"At Swallows and Blackpool, it's where I enjoyed my football the most. I was 31 years old when I retired.
"I didn't enjoy my football at Chiefs, it was December when I got injured there and I had to spend five months on the sidelines.
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"As a result fit and better strikers had to be given preference."
Your playing days?
"Yes, I did, even though I couldn't reach my full potential because at the amateur level I was much better. I was scoring goals like nobody's business."
Did you make money from soccer?
"Hhayi no, never. My highest salary was at Umtata Bucks, and that was R18 000, and that was in the year 2000.
"You couldn't save money those days, there was nothing to save because my starting salary was R800 at Blackpool and that was in 1988. At Aces we were paid R1300, those days we were playing for the love of the game.
"At Chiefs, I was getting R12 000 a month. That's where I got my first signing-on fee, which was R250 000."
Where I'm living?
"I've gone back home in Zondi following my divorce."
Jobs since playing the game?
"I once worked in a Butchery, I was coaching a Vodacom League club Lusitano, and the owner had a Butchery."
My current job?
"I don't have a job. Yes, I did coach here and there, but at the moment I'm in the township doing nothing. I have a Safa C coaching certificate.
"Life after football is very difficult, things are much easier if you are a footballer.
It's very difficult without an income. You survive by hustling."
If I could do it again?
"There is money in football nowadays, players are getting over R250,000. Only if I could reduce my age by at least 25 years. There's a lot of opportunities in football these days."