Polokwane City defender Lebohang Nkaki knows too well about tenacity having had to wait until he was 30 to get his break in the Betway Premiership.
So, it is no surprise that in the two years since Polokwane City returned to the top-tier division, he has featured in every league game – playing from start to finish in all but one.
In the 65 matches played by the club in all competitions since their return, Nkaki has only missed one, with the Limpopo club finishing in the Top Eight in both seasons.
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"The way we train is the reason why I think I have never been injured here at Polokwane," says Nkaki, who has not been suspended in two years despite being a central defender.
"Then there is also mentality because it counts a lot in this game based on what you want and how you are driven to get it.
"I have a coach who also encourages me to keep pushing without feeling like I’m bigger than the team.
"I have never felt like the team needs me more than I need the team, plus at my age I have to put my chance into good use," he explains why, disclosing how he only came to get his PSL break at 30.
"I was meant to sign in 2014 after I came for trials, but it didn’t happen because of issues related to managers and the fact that maybe I wasn’t known.
"In football, there is so much that goes into players getting to be signed and I have been a victim before.
"Back then, I trained with Polokwane for five weeks when Kosta Papic was in charge.
"Strangely, when he told me I will be amongst those cut off, he also mentioned that we will meet in the PSL.
"I have also been on trials at Baroka, but they never said anything to me and after a week I left.
"I don’t come from a well-off family, so when I went for trials, I had to use family money.
"So, when I saw that they are not saying anything while I was feeding myself from my pocket, I then left," says Nkaki.
The 32-year-old hails from Protea South in Soweto and has been with Mapetla Brazil (amateur), African Stars (SAB League), Munsieville Stars, Vaal Professionals, Orange Vaal Professionals, Mangaung United, and Dikwena United (all ABC Motsepe League clubs), and then had a short stay with JDR Stars in the First Division.
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"At JDR Stars, I did pre-season with them, but I was never registered and from there I came to Polokwane," he notes.
Nkaki was one of only two players in the 2024/25 campaign who played every minute along with Cape Town City’s veteran goalkeeper Darren Keet.
Photo: Alche Greeff/Gallo Images
