In our latest feature Where Are They Now, KickOff catches up with former Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United and FC Porto player Mandla Zwane on life after football.
Who am I?
"Mandla Christopher Zwane was born and bred in Zola 2 in Soweto. I played for Pirates from Under-14 to the senior team.
"In my first game for the Pirates Under-14, I scored five goals. Two with my right foot, two with my left and one with a header. From there I got promoted from time to time.
"I was part of the SA Under-20 squad that was assembled by Augusto Palacios in 1993.
"I also went to Porto in Portugal."
My playing days?
"I retired in 2008. I could have not asked for more, however, I feel like I was introduced to the Pirates first team squad very late. Why promote me when I'm already 20 years old."
Did I make money from soccer?
"I would say yes and no. Yes, because I managed to do things ordinarily that would have taken me years to do. On my first salary at Porto, I bought my parents a house. I also bought another house and also bought a townhouse which I'm currently residing. I did okay under the circumstances."
Where I'm living?
"In Naturena."
Jobs since playing the game?
"I'm a scholar of football through and through. In 2011 I joined a structure called Soccer Legends where Shakes Mashaba is a chairperson for the Gauteng region.
"I managed the B- Team of the University of Johannesburg. They helped me acquire coaching badges, in 2013 I became Bradley Carnell's assistant in the senior team.
"I then left for Free State Stars to be an assistant to Ernst Middendorp. After that, I became head coach at UJ until 2019. I'm a proud holder of a CAF A license."
Current job?
"I'm currently coaching a school where my son goes to, Holy Family College in Park Town.
"I'm also a head coach at the University of the Northwest [Vaal Campus]."
If you could do it again?
"Nothing. Through football, I've been to all corners of the world. I've been to Europe, I've been to Asia, I've been to Argentina, I've been to the African continent."