Three University of Johannesburg (UJ) players, Ayesha Moosa, Lusanda Mavundla, and Lona Richard Banga, were recently selected to spend time learning from professional football players at Cape Town City FC. The invitation came after UJ’s men’s and women’s football teams both finished in second place in the 2023 FNB Varsity Football tournaments.

At Cape Town City FC, the UJ players were treated to a locker room tour, meet and greet and training with players and coaches, city tour, and a FNB workshop on financial education.

Banga, who played goalkeeper for UJ in the Varsity Football tournament, said that he learned a lot from the Cape Town City FC players and coaches. “I arrived in Cape Town on Saturday, 30th September and trained with the team on Sunday and Monday. We went sight seeing and got to interact with the three goalkeepers including Darren Keet and the goalkeeper coach. I have learned that the players take everything they do very seriously. Obviously there is a big difference between Varsity Football and the PSL, and they call each other out when things go wrong. They’re very punctual, and committed to the craft,” he said.

Banga also added that he saw Darren Keet doing extra drills after training, which showed him how dedicated the professional players are to their craft. “Goalkeepers back in the days were great, but I feel that some of the things they did were unnecessary. The mentality of the modern players has become too technical. I saw Darren Keet doing extra drills after training – which means that he is putting more effort than just normal training sessions and I think that’s what we need. We need to invest in technology as well; nowadays there are shooting machines that can improve shooting accuracy and speed in training to help goalkeepers in real football game situations,” he said.

Moosa, who is currently on national duty competing in the COSAFA Women’s Tournament as a Banyana Banyana player, also had a positive experience at Cape Town City FC. “I learned a lot from the Cape Town City FC players and coaches. I was particularly impressed by their professionalism and dedication to the sport. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been able to learn from them,” she said.

The FNB and Cape Town City FC experience is a valuable opportunity for UJ players to learn from the best in the business. It is also a great way for them to get exposure to the professional football world.

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