This edition's Secret Footballer, who played for one of the Big Three clubs in South Africa, reveals how difficult life after football can be in the country and takes a swipe at club bosses for ignoring the plight of former players.
The former player says having a coaching qualification no longer holds much value to footballers who aspire to continue to be involved in the game once they retire.
"Kuyabheda man, it's bad, I can't find a job," he tells KickOff.
"I'm currently busy with coaching, but it's not easy. Like most former players, I'm now coaching at a school, but still, I'm struggling to pay my bills.
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"At the moment, I can't even pay a DStv subscription. As a result, I haven't been watching football for a while now.
"When I'm with my friends, I can't even take part in football discussions about weekend matches because I don't even know what to say.
"I can't even replace my phone. It's old. It switches itself on and off. It's tough, I can't buy a new one. This one can die anytime," adds the former pro.
He also reveals that he is a qualified coach 'who can coach anywhere in South Africa', but that has has found it a mission finding employment even in a lower league like the ABC Motsepe League.
"It's funny because we played the game and we are qualified coaches, but still we can't find work. The only coaching job we get is at schools, and schools don't pay. They offer you R2000 per month, and what can R2000 do for you these days?
"But you end up accepting such jobs to avoid just sitting around doing nothing. The R2000 iphelela ku [is only for] petrol, and for the rest you have to rely on your wife. It's crazy.
"Another thing I've noticed is that as ex-player,s we don't like each other. You come up with something, somebody comes up and steals your idea. That's the situation we are faced with, you've played the game and served your country, but you can't provide for your family.
"The only people who take us seriously as former professional footballers are the private schools. But coming to club football, it's full of teachers who never even played the game. The very same people who used to tell us that football has no lifespan and is a short career," he went on.
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The former footballer also bemoans the situation of clubs employing personnel in their technical teams who never played the game at the highest level.
"Take a look at the benches of the PSL clubs, how many ex-players are part of the technical team? Maybe one per club, or none. The rest are people you have never seen before.
"It's even worse when you go down to the football academies and development sides, not even a single former professional player is there.
"You spend your whole life serving the game, but it never takes care of you. Football forgets about you as soon as you retire.
"Most of the coaches we have never played the game, they are just teachers who were employed just because they can write the reports and speak good English."
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