When things did not work out for Lebogang Manyama at Turkish side Konyaspor in 2018, Manyama was not short of suitors but he rejected Mamelodi Sundowns because of competition against Themba Zwane.
Manyama left South Africa at the start of the 2017/18 season and featured in a solitary campaign in the Super Lig before returning to the DStv Premiership where he wrapped up his career at Kaizer Chiefs.
The 33-year-old was at the peak of his powers after claiming the 2016/17 Premier Soccer League Footballer of the Season award.
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In the end, it was Chiefs team manager Bobby Motaung who managed to charm Manyama to Naturena.
“I had the option to go to Sundowns, and Pitso Mosimane always thought of me. We always had the conversation, but it never happened, for a lot of reasons but it was more of the footballing side for me,” Manyama said on Bogartman Radio.
“Not because of fear, but why would I and Themba be competing for the Player of the Season as No.10s in this country, and we are in one team? What good does it do for people who have to pay and watch football?
“For me, there needs to be a good game between myself and Themba as opponents like there is now between him and Patrick Maswanganyi.
"Every team needs to have that kind of player because if me and Themba are there as two No.10s at Sundowns, it does not really do good for South African football because one has to sit on the bench."
Manyama admits that he was tempted by a lucrative offer to join Sundowns, but in the end, had to consider many factors such as his place in the national team, and was not keen to be reduced to a spectator at Downs.
“That means one can’t get to the national team because there is no game time for him. We lose quality players whereas I could go to Chiefs and be the No.10 there.
“That’s what I always thought when it comes to Sundowns. The money is always good, but I thought, ‘Am I going to get as much as I want to play?’. I want to prove my worth also,” Manyama explained.
The former SuperSport United attacker spent four seasons at Chiefs where he was then forced to prematurely hang up his boots as a persisting knee injury ruled him out of professional football in 2023.
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“When we went there it was a matter of how much, how many years. Bobby made it look like I had signed, but even in my heart, I was like, ‘This is where I want to go’.
“I wanted to revive the spark that I had with City, but that did not come easy because there were challenges when I got to Chiefs. They were under so much pressure and it is a big team with big expectations.
“When I went to tell them (Konyaspor) that I didn’t want to stay, Bobby called me and asked me where I was and asked me, ‘What are you doing’, I told him I was waiting for my clearance from Turkey,” Manyama said.
“He then said: ‘Meet me at Naturena on Wednesday, you’ll see the guys training and we will welcome you’. I had not signed, and when Bobby does it, he does it properly. When he wants you he wants you and you feel wanted,” Manyama concluded.
