24 March 2022 – The past is exactly that, the past…
Nkosinathi Sibisi is only focusing on the future and what he can add rather than going back in time to try and make a change, and he has accepted the opportunity and the fresh start he has been offered at national team level with open arms.
“This is an honour and is in line with my career and the plans I have for myself, the club I represent and my family,” said the 26-year-old center back from Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, who plans on playing to his strengths if given a chance to play against Guinea or France.
“I always take a step back and observe. This is national level, and at club level as captain, the playing fields are very different. Rooming with Rushine De Reuck assists in getting into the zone, we learn from each other and share our visions and dreams of what we want to do on the pitch.”
For the captain of Golden Arrows, the game is not only about contributing on the field of play but also on having a holistic overview of who he comes up against. “Guinea did well in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and they have a great squad. They are very physical, while the French are more technically superior, and we are not going to have it easy out there.”
Sibisi says pretty much like age, height is just a number and while he is always reminded of height in his position, it is more than that. “I bring speed, I read the game well and I am aggressive when need be, and I really think that is what caught coach Hugo Broos’ eye.”
He recently picked up an injury on the field while with his club, and boasts a few stitches below his right brow, but nothing that will leave him sidelined in these international friendlies.
Positivity is the frequency that Sibisi is tapping into and while the competition in the Bafana Bafana camp is stiff, he is up for the challenge like a good soldier, ready to fight for his country.