I shed a tear

There is something happening in the Betway Premiership that cannot be ignored. Goalkeepers are having a serious battle for the honour of having the most clean sheets in a season and this can only be good for Bafana Bafana. Sipho Chaine, Brandon Petersen, Darren Keet, Darren Johnson, Renaldo Leaner, Ronwen Williams and Dumisani Msibi are shining brightly with clean sheets this season and it’s exciting. Johnson, in particular, is one of the surprise names on the list. He joined AmaZulu FC after being an understudy to Stanley Nwabali at Chippa United and he’s won the number one jersey ahead of Ghanaian international Richard Ofori at Usuthu. Soccer Laduma spoke to the former Cape Town Spurs goalkeeper about his journey to Usuthu, which had its challenges.

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When I came to AmaZulu FC, I was not expecting to be the number one. But with hard work and dedication, it opened up the door. When the door opened, I walked through it and I never looked back. Going back to coach Arthur, he is a great coach and a great human being. Before anything else, he wants to know you as a person and I think that's important. I am sure he sat down with every single one of us and figured out who we are, not just in football, but outside of football. That sets a good foundation with your coach and the technical team because now you have someone who knows where you come from and he can also do his magic with you, in order to get you to your full potential. It’s thanks to coach Arthur and the technical team, including our goalkeeper coach Postnet (Omony).

TM: Right...

DJ: They have found a balance to get every player to reach their full potential. We still have a long way to go in the season and there are some big games to play, but so far the technical team has been able to get the best out of every single one of us and that’s why we are where we are. The character they have built in the team is unbelievable. The brotherhood they have built is on another level. When you come to this type of environment as a player, the only thing you can do is make it work for you. I am really enjoying the game time I am receiving. I am growing as a goalkeeper. This is my first season playing topflight football and being considered the number one. At the same time, I am humble and I've got a long road ahead of me. This is just the beginning, so I need to keep my feet on the ground and pray. What kept me going is the passion and love I have for the game. I had a desire to fulfil my full potential. Sometimes you need to take a step back and evaluate everything.

TM: Sure...