NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 – The pain and screams as he fell still on the French Rugby Federation Training Camp in Marcoussis, France on June 10, 2019 still echo in his memory as Brian Mandela finally kicks some balls after more than a year out injured.
The defender injured his knee after falling awkwardly following contact with teammate Joseph ‘Crouch’ Okumu as they both went on a sliding tackle to defend a ball in a small training match.
He consequently missed a place in Kenya’s team for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and after that. Left his South African employers Maritzburg United and getting a new team became an almost impossible venture.
“It was the toughest moment of my career. It broke my spirit and broke my heart at first. Missing out on the AFCON was particularly heavy on me. I had really wanted to play there because as a player, you always wish to weigh yourself with the best in the world,” Mandela tells Capital Sports.
The defender underwent surgery in France where the national team was camping, before proceeding to Cairo, Egypt, linking up with his teammates for the Cup of Nations before returning home and eventually South Africa.
Brian Mandela passes the ball during a training session with Harambee Stars in France on June 9, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
“I will be lying if I said it didn’t affect me. The toughest moment for a player is being injured for long. But I had to be strong and I had to work hard to try and get back on my feet. The help and motivation I got from my family, friends and teammates helped me to move on with each day,” he adds.
So tough was the period that Mandela had to detach himself from the rest of the world while continuing with his recovery and was totally blacked out from the internet.
“I just wanted to fully concentrate on getting myself back on top. I put everything in my mind to ensure that I am recovering. I would communicate with my family and friends through normal calls from South Africa,”
“I chose to do my recovery in South Africa because the movement there is easy. Getting from one point to another is not difficult and also, the facilities there and physios as well are top notch. To get the best, you have to invest and I invested in my recovery to ensure I am ready,” added Mandela.
And now, exactly 16 months since he last kicked a ball in competitive football, Mandela will play his first ever match when he lines up for Harambee Stars in their friendly against Zambia on Friday at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Brian Mandela (left) chases down Mohamed Katana during a training session with Harambee Stars at the Kasarani Stadium on October 6, 2020. PHOTO/Courtesy
The defender expects to play at least one half to gauge where he is physically.
“I feel really okay now. I have worked had on my rehab and I feel ready to go and stronger than ever. I am ready for the game which I know will be very tough coz Zambia is a good team which plays good football,”
“This is also the first game after the COVID-19 pandemic and we hope we can win for the fans and also restore hope that football will be back soon. We would have wished to play the game infront of the fans but as at now, health is the most important thing and we would rather have them cheering us from home,” Mandela, expected to skipper the team in the absence of Victor Wanyama notes.
After the friendly, he will now venture on landing a new employer and he is pretty optimistic he will be back playing club football in the new season.
“I am confident that I will get back to playing. It has been a long time but with God, everything will be okay,” he added.
