Moeneeb Josephs (left) was recently elevated to the first team coaching ranks of AmaZulu. Photo: BackpagePix Moeneeb Josephs (left) was recently elevated to the first team coaching ranks of AmaZulu. Photo: BackpagePix
DURBAN – Veteran goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs has hinted to his bosses at AmaZulu that he will be hanging up his boots at the end of the season.
Josephs was recently elevated to the first team coaching ranks of Usuthu after the club decided to place their head coach Jozef Vukusic on a special leave.
The former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper is now the right hand of interim coach Ayanda Dlamini. On the books of AmaZulu, Josephs is registered as both player and coach.
AmaZulu general manager Lunga Sokhela confirmed that the 39-year-old recently indicated that his playing days might be numbered.
“He hasn’t officially told us that he will be retiring but he mentioned it here and there. But there hasn’t been any official word. For now, we take him as player,” Sokhela explained.
Josephs rose to prominence back in 1997 when he was still on the books of Cape Town Spurs. He has been campaigning in the elite league for the past 23 years.
“To be honest with you, it was the players that approached me and said, ‘boss, can you please allow Moeneeb to assist Ayanda’,” said Sokhela.
“Moeneeb is a good motivator and is well connected with the players and he is experienced. He is a good personality to have in the change-room as well as on the bench,” he added.
Josephs will celebrate his 40th birthday on May 19. In his glittering career, he has represented clubs such as Ajax Cape Town, Wits University (Bidvest Wits) and Orlando Pirates. He was instrumental for the Buccaneers when they clinched the double treble between 2010 and 2012.
“What tomorrow holds, I’m not sure. I wouldn’t rule out Moeneeb moving to coaching. I think he will be a good coach but we need to take guidance from him,” Sokhela elaborated.
The most important thing to do in a time like this, is stand together 🤝 #Usuthu_Pride pic.twitter.com/BhKlnjBD2l
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) April 26, 2020
Josephs was capped 24 times for Bafana Bafana. He was part of the team that represented Bafana in the 2010 Fifa World Cup and 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Josephs and Dlamini started with a bang as AmaZulu’s mentors when they dispatched log leaders Kaizer Chiefs before the Premier Soccer League action was halted by the coronavirus outbreak. The duo will be hoping for consistency if league action resumes.
At this stage it is not yet clear when matches are likely to return. But if permission to play is granted by the Department of Health, games will played behind closed doors.