EXCLUSIVE: Morgan Gould on THAT punch, THAT ban... and words of comfort from Gavin Hunt

Big hit: Gould hits Kebede on Nov 9

GOULDEN GLOVES. Tap-tap Morgantini. Floygan Gouldweather. Yup. It’s been tough time for Morgan Gould, ever since the Kaizer Chiefs centre-back landed what appeared to be a punch right on the chin of Bidvest Wits’ Getaneh Kebede.

It all came to a head yesterday when a hastily-convened PSL Disciplinary Committee handed down a two-match ban and R100,000 fine for Gould’s apparent left hook during the AmaKhosi’s hardfought 2-1 win against the Clever Boys on November 9 at Soccer City.

Immediately the social networks were abuzz. Given that Mabhuti Khenyeza was sentenced to a YEAR out of the game for spitting at a linesman, the general consensus (though not unanimous) was that Gould had got off lightly.

He hasn’t. The 30-year-old from Soweto is hurting. Video of the incident has taken more than 500,000 YouTube hits from all around the world. “That’s dirty man” are the three words from the commentary (see video below) that will live with him for the rest of his career.

Tomorrow he will appear on my football show BOLLOCKZ! on www.ballz.co.za to explain all. Earlier today he told me: “It’s been an awful time. A bad month. Very difficult. I just want to put all this behind me.

“When I went before the PSL Disciplinary, I knew I couldn’t plead not guilty. I said after the incident it was a “freak accident” but I know if I’d been punched like that, I would have been really angry. I would have looked at it afterwards and said it was a deliberate punch.

“I looked at the replays and I decided I had to plead guilty. Hold my hands up. That’s what I did. I apologised to Kebede and I’m sorry for what I did. It was not intentional but somehow I did it. It’s there, you can see it.

“I accept the two-match ban (Gould misses tonight’s clash against resurgent Polokwane City and Saturday at Free State Stars) and I will pay the R50,000 fine (the other half was suspended), I have to do that.

“I didn’t want to plead not guilty. That would have weighed heavily on me. I had to say I’d done it; for the sake of my family and my friends, people who believe in me. I want to get on with it, get over this.”

Gould is a strong bloke, an imposing figure who has twice come back from serious injury since his move to Chiefs two seasons ago. But he is also one of the good guys. Gavin Hunt, his coach for four years at SuperSport United and now in charge at Wits, knows that only too well.

Hunt told me: “Look, it was a punch. No doubt about that. But I don’t believe it was pre-meditated. Hands fly. Things happen. You know football, Neal.

“I’ve known Morgan for years. I like to think I played an important part in his career. My guy Kebede is over it. An apology has been made, now there’ll be a written apology.

“My problem is with the officiating. The referee was RIGHT THERE. He saw what happened. It should have been dealt with at the time. A red card on the spot and the normal two-match ban would have been right.

“Then we would have had none of this, no need for a review and a hearing. But we’re over it. I wish the lad well. He’s not a bad lad. I know that.

“He’ll get over this. He’ll recover. I’m just annoyed we didn’t take a point of Chiefs that night!”

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 9am. See the Ballz channel on www.YouTube.com for our growing collection of interviews with the big names in South African football.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and how we are doing in using @thumperpigeon's R5,000 to make money for the Ball's charity WINGZ OF CHANGE.

The four PSL contenders this season? Look no further than the MTN8 winners this weekend

Double trouble: Kaizer Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter

THIRTEEN GOALS. A couple of red cards. A thousand incidents. Four teams left standing. The South African football season REALLY kicked off this weekend with the MTN8 quarter-finals after the opening round of the PSL last week.

The big guns made it. Today's semi-final draw saw the Soweto giants paired with Platinum Stars taking on Bidvest Wits in two-legged clashes with dates and venues to be announced.

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune immediately twittered: "Exactly what everyone was hoping for, Derby it is."

The pick of the quarter-finals for me was Mbombela on Sunday, where continental contenders Orlando Pirates, leg-weary and over-travelled, recovered from going behind TWICE to bounce back with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win after a pulsating 2-2 draw.

Predictably Senzo “Penalty King” Meyiwa was the man of the moment, though Andile Jali’s continued resurrection was recognised with the Man of the Match award in a game where Mame Niang frightened the pants of Pirates and Lennox “Bracela” Bacela proved he CAN score goals.

On Saturday night, I was at Soccer City for Kaizer Chiefs rousing 3-0 win over AmaTuks where a loud but insubstantial AmaKhosi saw their side overcome initial resistance to render meaningless Steve Barker’s dour, defensive tactics.

Platinum Stars’ 3-0 win over Free State Stars confirmed Allan Freeze still has the basis of a decent side in Phokeng and that Steve Komphela will struggle in Bethlehem. But judging by the attendance, nobody in the North West really cares.

But it was Bidvest Wits who caught the eye as contenders at this early stage of the season with their 3-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic in a small but atmospheric Milpark Stadium on Friday night.

Their first-half performance was little short of scintillating, worth watching no matter what footballing language you might prefer. With Moeneeb “Stop ball-watching Boooooth” Josephs already at home in the Cleva Boys goal and the world’s tallest man Matthew Booth marshalling the defence, Gavin Hunt has build a defence which will be tough to breech.

Ahead of them, the excellent Burundian Faty Papy slots in nicely next to Matthew Pattison in a midfield unlikely to be outplayed anywhere this season, from Cape Town to Polokwane. Up front, Hunt appears to be relying on the ancient Great Zimbabwe edifice Benjani Mwaruwari, who at an estimated age of 34 still has a great touch.

That’s a strong spine, by any standards, though I suspect striker Nyasha Mushekwi may be added to an expensive University graduate scheme now that the Zimbabwean’s move from Mamelodi Sundowns to Belgium’s Oostende has fallen through.

Hunt himself accepts: “We’ve still got a few more signings to make before the end of the transfer window at the end of the month. But I’m happy with what we’ve got.

“Look there’s a lot of work to be done, but we’ve got the makings of a strong squad here. After all those years at SuperSport (where he won THREE successive PSL titles) I’m not here for a holiday.”

I reckon this weekend we’ve seen the four contenders for the PSL triumph in the MTN8. Orlando Pirates may be distracted by a remarkable African Champions League campaign, and Platinum Stars aren’t quite the force they were under Johnson when they finished surprise runners-up last season.

I foresee a down-to-the-wire showdown this season between Stuart Baxter and Gavin Hunt. A battle of the little big men. Chiefs have what it takes, grabbing the double of Nedbank Cup and PSL last season. Hunt’s Wits offer a backbone of players who have been there, done that.

Like Hunt, Baxter accepts: “There’s still work to be done. It’s still very early. We may make more signings.”

But if one of those two aren’t celebrating come May, I’d be surprised.


BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za. A shorter version of THIS story will be published in The New Age on Tuesday.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

THE PSL KICKS OFF ON FRIDAY: Benni says it's Chiefs, but does he know what's been happening out there?!

Too many Chiefs: Amakhozi celebrations after
the Carling Cup win on Saturday

SO according to the Benni McCarthy, Kaizers Chiefs are going to win the PSL, Bernard Parker will be the season’s top scorer and Itumeleng Khune is ear-marked for player of the year.

Which is all very well – though slightly annoying if you’re a fan of his former club Orlando Pirates – given Kaizer Chiefs utterly meaningless Carling Cup win at a packed Soccer City on Saturday.

Of course, the Amakhosi have the bragging rights after Lehlohonolo Majoro’s off-side goal separated the two sides in the gimmicky Soweto derby for profiteers - but as an indicator of the season ahead, as we say in England, it’s utter bollocks.

Under-pressure Pirates coach Roger de Sa is attempting to shave 8kg off Collins Mbesuma while simultaneously bedding in his new signings, Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter himself admits: “It was heaven and hell… they had us under pressure.”

So do we make Chiefs favourites to retain their title given McCarthy's views in today's Sunday Times? Possibly. But let’s remember Benni has barely been back in the country since his sudden retirement at the end of last season. The fact that he quit without actually telling the Buccaneers despite their R6m-a-year salary is beside the point.

McCarthy has spent his time in Spain and England, he has no idea how the new-look PSL is shaping up. Though nobody doubts his footballing talent, it’s hard to take his current predictions too seriously.

For a start, Bernard Parker failed to win the golden boot last season despite a four-goal start at AmaZulu last year. This year Knowledge Musona takes over from McCarthy as the nation’s best-paid player, on a year’s loan at the AmaKhosi from German also-rans Hoffenheim.

With Benni’s old club enlisting the services of Celtic’s Lennox Bacela and SuperSport United’s Kemit Erasmus, I don’t expect to see Parker among the top five this season .

Stuart Baxter is likely to use him wide and deeper with Musona and Majoro carrying the bulk of the goal-scoring burden.

As for the title race, I’ve seen most of the new-look squads in action – yesterday I sat with new Wits coach Gavin Hunt watching Amatuks giving Australian tourists Perth Glory a 2-0 tonking.

Gavin said: “Steve Barker’s done it again. Found some good youngsters, made them efficient. They’ll be hard to beat again this year.”

On Saturday I watched Gavin’s Wits, with eight new players, win a mini-tournament at Milpark, ending on top of Steve Komphela’s Free States Stars, Golden Arrows and Platinum Stars.

I had a chat with new Dikwena boss Allan Freeze, who admitted: “We haven’t signed anybody really, we’ve lost Thuso Phala but we’ll be okay. We finished runners-up last season, we can reach the top four again this season.”

Mamelodi Sundowns have made their usual army of signings and enjoyed a strong tour of Ghana, Amazulu under Craig Rosslee may be a tough prospect but Ajax Cape Town will have to rely on new recruits from their substantial academy to survive after losing a host of stars.

Promoted NFD champions Polokwane City remain a mystery to most, Martitzburg United have grabbed Ghana's Mohammed Yakubu - who survived just 30 minutes under Roger de Sa at Orlando Pirates - but are unlikely to threaten the top four.

But amid conversations on my BOLLOCKZ show on Ballz radio, Hunt, Freeze, new SuperSport boss Cavin Johnson, Swallows coach Zeca Marques and of course, the big two, Roger and Stuart, I have to say the surprise package could be promoted Mpumalanga Aces under the ageless Clive Barker.

Clive, cheerfully 68, told me on BOLLOCKZ last week: “The wife told me not to tell you we’ll win the league at the first attempt! But I can say we have good directors at Aces, we’ve made some great signings and we could be a handful!”

The Dog reckons he’s signed 12 players rather than the widely publicised 16. When I asked Hunt how many he’d acquired (live on air) he said: “I’ve got absolutely no f***ing idea!”

The point is this: When the PSL kicks off on Friday with Aces up against last season’s double winners Kaizer Chiefs, it’s an all-new situation.

Just as in England, where the top three clubs are all under new management, much has changed since Benni McCarthy retired.

And I’d keep an eye on Wits, if I were the Soweto giants. Hunt has Zimbabwean veteran Benjani up front (“I’ll use him sparingly, keep his legs!”), the experienced Matthew Booth at centre-back, the energetic Matthew Pattison in midfield and Moeneeb Josephs in goal.

Hunt laughs: “I’ve never actually had Moeneeb before. He’s amazing. So bloody enthusiastic – and absolutely radio rental! I love him already.”

Chiefs and Pirates beware. Platinum Stars nearly did it last season – the Clever Boys will be up and at it this term.

The opening round:

02/08    Mpumalanga Aces      20:00     Kaizer Chiefs

03/08    Golden Arrows           15:00     Ajax Cape Town

03/08    Moroka Swallows       15:00     University of Pretoria

03/08    SuperSport United       20:15     Free State Stars

03/08    Maritzburg United        20:15     Polokwane City

04/08    Bloemfontein Celtic      15:00     Mamelodi Sundowns

04/08    Platinum Stars              15:00     Bidvest Wits

BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za. A shorter version of THIS story will be published in The New Age on Tuesday.

#BOLLOCKS is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

Zane Moosa on BOLLOCKZ! explaining Nelson Mandela Sports Day and the Bidvest Wits boom

South Africa’s leading  football analyst Zane Moosa popped in to my new show BOLLOCKZ! on Ballz radio on Thursday – after attending the launch of the Nelson Mandela Sports Day extravaganza in Sandton.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns, Wits, Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana star Moosa brought us the lowdown on the events in honour of Madiba which will see the rugby Springboks take on Argentina, our footballing Bafana Bafana versus Burkina Fosa – and he revealed an Italian legends team will take on South Africa’s veterans on the same bill at Soccer City on August 17.

Moosa said: “It’s going to be a spectacular… not just AmaBokke and Bafana but the Italian masters too – Paulo Rossi the 1982 World Cup top-scorer will be there and a lot of other household names from Italy’s best-ever side.”

Oregan Hoskins, head of the South African Rugby Union president, said: “We are doing something for someone who saved our sport and saved our society,” while Bafana coach Gordon Igesund said: "We must not forget the reason why we are doing it. We are celebrating Nelson Mandela. Our prayers are with him and it is a great occasion."

Zane, who eased himself out of the N1 traffic to visit the www.ballz.co.za offices, added: “The who’s who of South African sport were there for the launch, Irvin Khoza the head of the PSL, both the presidents of our football and rugby associations, Neil Tovey, Danny Jordaan, Francois Pienaar.

“Bryan Habana received an award from Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula for his 50 Test tries… and there were accolades for our women hockey players and netballers."

Profits from the event itself – which also features a music concert – will go to the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

With tickets on sale at Computicket for between R250 and R2,500, Moosa said: “This is what Nelson Mandela would have wanted. Football fans supporting rugby, rugby fans supporting football.”

BOLLOCKZ! is my new show on www.ballz.co.za. Tune in by live stream or app, from anywhere in the world, 10am-noon every Thursday. Follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol and see our backers www.topodds.com for the latest sports betting!

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THE NEW "BACK TO BLACK" ORLANDO PIRATE JERSEY CLICK HERE! http://www.neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/07/british-transfer-expert-known-only-as.html

Gavin Hunt on Bollockz: I can't promise Wits will finished ahead of SuperSport but I have got a Sunderland star coming over

GAVIN HUNT, three-time winner of the PSL title with SuperSport United, has no doubt he can achieve success with Bidvest Wits as he prepares for his first season in charge with the SuperBoys.

In a wide-ranging interview to launch my new show “BOLLOCKZ” on Ballz visual radio, Hunt revealed the link between his new club and Sunderland – and said a centre-back is on his way from the north-east of England to reinforce his squad at Wits next season.

On his long-awaited departure from SuperSport, Hunt said: “It was tough hey, this thing came about. I’ve got ideas of what they want to do and how they want to do it. But I was very comfortable at SuperSport, I had great support there, a good set-up.

 “I can’t promise we’ll finish above SuperSport… Obviously, the owners of Wits want me to do better!

“There’s a tie up, a link with Sunderland, I’m going to be going over there and have a look around. Their manager Paulo di Canio might give me a hard time!

“Listen, I’m a West Ham supporter, I saw him play for them a couple of times. He’s passionate about it, I’m sure he’ll do well with them.

“I’ve got a centre-back coming, a Sunderland centre-back. We’ll see how he does at Wits. 

 “I had a goalkeeper from England at SuperSport, it was a bloody disaster! He was at the end of his career. He did well but it turned out bad.

 “But there’s a lot of players who go from academy football and can’t make it in England. They’re very good players.

“In the 60s and 70s, we had a lot of English players in South Africa. I just feel there’s a huge gap for academy players from England to come here and earn a great living and enjoy a good lifestyle playing out here.

“At Hellenic when I was in the juniors, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Alan Ball, England internationals, all played under Budgie Byrne my father-in-law!

“But you have to be careful. We’ve got a link with Sunderland, but what does it really mean? I was involved with the Ajax Amsterdam think at Seven Stars when I first started.

“It’s very difficult for players to switch countries. You’ve got be special. Poor Bongani Khumalo hasn’t made it has he?”

BOLLOCKZ! My new show on www.ballz.co.uk. Tune in by live stream or app, from anywhere in the world, 10am-noon every Thursday. Follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol and see our backers www.topodds.com for the latest sports betting!

Not a blog, a diary: eNCAnews video, "Bollockz" launches on Ballz, Bidvest on the Sunderland shirt and Umlazi Bush Bucks revisited!

HERE'S the eNCAnews interview about the Ethiopia situation we recorded on July 17... before Danny Jordaan comments about the situation yesterday. It offers a brief explanation of how the story broke.We await the FIFA verdict with several options now open.

Will it be THREE points or SIX the Walya Antelopes lose? Gordon Igesund, the Bafana coach, told me on my brand new Ballz radio show this morning that "at least three points" will be docked from Group A leaders Ethiopia for playing ineligible Minyahile Teshome Beyene.

The Ethiopian Football Federation admitted to the "grave blunder" when they used twice-booked Beyene against Botswana a fortnight ago - as my blog http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/ethiopia-full-sorry-truth-about-blunder.html reveals.

But SAFA vice-president Jordaan told me over lunch yesterday - http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/dannys-double-jeopardy-why-ethiopia.html?showComment=1371658298569 - that he believes they could be docked further points for using Beyene for the first 70 minutes in their dramatic 2-1 win over Bafana last Sunday.

Jordaan, who knows a thing or two about the workings of FIFA after running a highly-successful World Cup in South Africa three years ago, reckons: "A played is suspended until he has served his ban," but EFF sources are now claiming they had "permission from FIFA" to play Beyene against South Africa.

Sunderland's new kit:
Phetolo Patleswana (@jibu_za)
sent this via twitter

Three videos from today's launch of my new show "BOLLOCKZ" on Ballz radio this morning will be coming soon. With station founder Darren Scott holding my hand through my first day, I talked to new Bidvest Wits coach GAVIN HUNT - who revealed he is signing a "young Sunderland centre-half" to replace the departed Bafana and Portsmouth legend Aaron Mokoena. This follows the Clever Boys' link with the English Premier League club - see their new Black Cats shirt with the Bidvest logo (right).

Hunt has several more big names to unveil before the season starts - I'm privy to one or two major signings but let's leave that for a few weeks.

I also got hold of SuperSport United's new coach CAVIN JOHNSON just before he boarded a flight to Durban with his new club officials. As you may have read here http://neal-collins.blogspot.com/2013/06/miracle-worker-cavin-johnson-leaves.html, Cavin finally made the appointment official yesterday. He confirmed the arrival of Thuso Phala from his old club Platinum Stars plus AmaTuks impressive Senegalese striker Mame Niang. And when I asked him if he was hopeful of finishing in a top four place, Cavin laughed: "Very confident!"

Bafana Bafana boss GORDON IGESUND came out of a meeting to close the show - he talked about the ups and downs of a week which started on Sunday with shattered World Cup dreams but may end with qualification assured if FIFA decide to dock Ethiopia the full six points.

Gordon said: "I won't be making major changes for the final Group A game against Botswana here on September 6. I've got the COSAFA Cup to try out some new faces."

I'll be posting videos of those interviews later. As for ROGER DE SA my opening no-show, I've only got an SMS: "Sorry, training!" We'll have a go at getting the under-pressure Orlando Pirates coach on air next week.

Thanks to the support from my followers on Facebook and Twitter - now a combined army of over 11,000 - and if you missed it this morning, listen to the show every Thursday 10am-noon on www.ballz.co.za or download their app! Oh, and this from @mycousin1975 (Chris, a Geordie with African roots) on twitter after mention was made of my old club Umlazi Bush Bucks. I've identified a few of the characters:

Blast from the past: the Umlazi Bush Bucks title winning outfit from
circa 1985, featuring coach Clive Barker, owner Lawrence "Big Bear"
Ngubane (right), I think the goalkeeper was called Dave Watterson,
big signing from Wits at the time, Mark Tovey front right, and I reckon
the bloke next to big, beardie Brummie de Leur is Chilean Raul Gonzalez,
whose son Mark Dennis Gonzalez (named after Tovey and Dennis Wickes
(front) went on to play for Liverpool and Chile at 2010 World Cup!

KIRSTEN BOSH: Gordon Igesund to stay in charge of Bafana Bafana until 2018

Good Gord: Igesund and I before AFCON

GORDON IGESUND will sign a FIVE-YEAR contract with Bafana Bafana which will see the Silver Fox guide South Africa BEYOND the World Cup in Brazil next year to 2018.

Igesund will enter negotiations over a new contract on Monday, saying: “I want to see the job through. I’ve always said that.”

Though both big-spending Bidvest Wits and former club Moroka Swallows were lurking in the shadows hoping Igesund would leave the national job after AFCON, Igesund now seems sure to stay in place until the World Cup in Russia in five years’ time.

Despite failing to achieve his mandate of reaching the last four of the African Cup of Nations on home soil, the South African Football Association have come out in support of the man appointed in June last year.

Bafana went out to Mali, Africa’s third-best side, on penalties in the quarter-finals of AFCON 2013 on Saturday, having out-played their highly-ranked opponents for 120 minutes in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.

Last night on SportsTalk, the show I produce for Udo Carelse on Talk Radio 702, SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani said: “We would have loved to get to the final, but considering the fact we started with a relatively very, very young team and a coach who came in five months ago, we have been somewhere.

“Look, I think every federation would aspire to have a coach that goes along the cycle of the World Cup. That is that aim of every footballing nation, that ultimately you qualify for the World Cup. 

Gordon came in just five months back, surely to me it would make a lot of logical sense to have a long-term place for a coach.

“To me, at this point in time, Gordon is a man who has done us very proud as we talk. We set a target but when you don’t reach it, it’s not the end of the world. You still have to review the issues that come up.

“The time factor comes in… and putting together a team in such a short space of time. The next target is the World Cup. We shouldn’t be rushing to begin to feel all is gone.

“We have committees to deal with the issue of Gordon’s future. Now, during March, we will be preparing the team for the World Cup qualifiers. We need a long term plan that will sustain this organisation.

"You have to aim high. If this level of performance is maintained  there is no reason why Gordon should not be our coach until 2018.”

Igesund, gradually coming back down to earth after guiding his team through a run of four games against higher-ranked side without defeat, said: “What we have done is bring back Bafana playing with pride.

“You can’t walk in to the side anymore just because your name is Joe Soap. These players have shown their pride and passion.  The players who weren’t here will have to fight their way in to this team.

“We have come a long way in a short time, but there is a long way to go.”

Tinkler laughs off 'ridiculous' McCarthy, Klate wants African Champions League

Point taken: Benni McCarthy at half-time on Saturday night in Durban

Eric Tinkler laughed off the Benni McCarthy storm yesterday, insisting: “Benni wishes he could have slapped me! He’s being ridiculous.”


Tinkler, now 41, won 40 caps for South Africa in a career which took him from humble beginnings in Roodepoort to Vitória de Setúbal and União de Tomar in Portugal, Cagliari in Italy and Barnsley in England.

Now Roger da Sa’s assistant coach at Wits, Tinkler and McCarthy – former Bafana Bafana team-mates – came perilously close to blows at half-time during Orlando Pirates’ 3-1 Telkom Knock-out final triumph in Durban on Saturday night.

But Tinkler, a combative defensive midfielder in his playing days, told football365: “Benni was having an argument with one of our players Zane Mngomezulu. I stepped in to separate them and Benni didn't like the fact that I touched him.

"He shoved me in the face and he swore at me. I swore at him and it didn't go any further than that. People are just making a big thing out of nothing.

"Benni is being stupid about it; you know what I'm saying. That Benni could have slapped me is being ridiculous. He wishes he could have slapped me! I don't want to go into things like that. Obviously tempers were flaring at halftime you know and that's what you get. It is part of the game.

"People have banter on the field and you just have to be grown up enough to accept it and move on or be more professional about it.”

At one point, Da Sa asked McCarthy, South Africa's top scoring striker, if he was being “paid by the kilogram” – a reference to Benni being fined twice over his fatness levels at English club West Ham last season before being paid to leave Upton Park. Da Sa said: “After the game when I went to shake Benni’s hand, he told me to piss off. So I told him he’s got three brain cells.”

In an sparky post-final outburst after helping Orlando Pirates to a clean sweep of domestic trophies, the new slimline McCarthy, who caused Wits problems all night, said: "I even forgot Tinkler and I played together in the national team. He tried to be smart so I had to put him in his place because when you as a player are getting pushed around left, right and centre by the opposing coaches, then me, I must defend myself. He is lucky I didn't slap him."

Meanwhile Buccaneer Daine Klate, man of the match after his goal-scoring performance at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, told me this morning that Orlando Pirates are fully focussed on the African Champions League after their Telkom triumph.

Speaking on eTV Sunrise, Klate said: “I know we’ve got the Angolans (Recrativo Libolo) and we know it will be difficult. But we are also aware of how Bafana and Baby Bafana both failed to qualify for their tournaments in recent weeks.

“We are going to take this tournament seriously, our technical people will be using footage of their games to find out all about them. If we go through, we’ve got Sunshine Stars in Nigeria next. It would be great to go a long way in the competition.

“I’m not saying we will win it (Pirates were the last South African club to lift the African Champions League in 1995) but we will be out to restore South Africa’s footballing pride.”

Klate, born in Gelvandale in Port Elizabeth, has now won every major honour in South African football. Capped 10 times by Bafana Bafana, he started his career as a 19-year-old at Supersports United and won three successive League-winners medals.

He followed that with another League success at Pirates in last season’s treble-winning season, adding the Telkom on Saturday. But the 26-year-old recalls: “When I first arrived at Supersports United, I was a bit scared of Gavin Hunt, but he taught me a lot on and off the pitch.

“It was a big decision to leave Gavin, Pirates hadn’t won anything for ages, but I know I’m a winner. And it’s good to make an impact.”

Follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol and read my stuff every Sunday in http://www.scoopnews.co.za/