In this edition of Locker Room Secrets, KickOff catches up with former Bloemfontein Celtic and Black Leopards player, Kleinbooi Taaibos.
Who was always late?
"At Bloemfontein Celtic, we had this guy, Ntokozo Sikhakhane. I have never seen anyone arrive so late. What a brilliant footballer! Even he couldn't train for a full week. But you wouldn't know whether he slept at home or not – he was always late. When it comes to being tardy, he takes the cup."
Did anyone have interesting rituals before every match?
"I’ve read about rituals, but to be honest, I never encountered such things from any players. It’s mostly teams that enjoy that sort of thing not individuals."
Who was the jokester?
"During my time with different teams, I’d say Sipho Nunens stood out as the jokester. He was very mischievous at Bloemfontein Celtic. For the rest of us, it was all seriousness and work. But not with Sipho, he was free-spirited. He didn’t care if he was seen with girls or drunk in public. He and guys like Ntokozo Sikhakhane were very lucky, they would get away with just a warning. Some of us would have been fired on the spot if we tried such things."
Which of your former clubs used muti the most?
"It has to be Black Leopards."
How is that possible when their chairman is a pastor?
"A pastor? Nah, maybe he’s both a pastor and a nyanga [laughs]. I've yet to come across a team that is known for being a pastor's team. If there were classes on muti, I’m sure Black Leopards would be the instructors. They are the champions."
Who was the singer?
"Mbuyiselu Sambu, who played for Celtic. That man could sing!"
Who was the best- and worst-dressed?
"I was the champ in fashion, if you ask any of my former teammates. I even used to sell some of my clothes to them.
"The worst dressed was Guluva, the late Johannes 'Tornado' Motlhaping. May his soul rest in peace. I used to tell him, 'Eish, the way you dress doesn’t show you’re from Johannesburg'."
Which coach gave the best team talks?
"Steve Komphela. The only problem was that his team talks could leave you feeling exhausted before the match even started. Your mind would get tired just from listening. His team talks would often last two hours, non-stop. While he was a great motivator, it was just too much information."
Who never showered?
"Nobody! We all showered."