Edelbert Dinha urges SA top stars to imitate Peter Ndlovu’s character

Ex-Warriors defender Edelbert Dinha has encouraged South African DStv Premiership stars to imitate the character of the former Zimbabwe senior national team skipper Peter Ndlovu.

Dinha believes the highly rated players must remain ‘humble’ and follow in the footsteps of the Warriors legend whom he described a “simple guy” during his playing days apart from being rated as a star player.

In an interview with FARPost, the former Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates captain, Dinha said: “He was such a simple guy. That was perhaps his main strength. Peter wanted to make sure everyone is doing well outside the pitch. That’s what players of today must do.”

“What made it more exciting is that when he was playing he led by example which naturally pushed us all to work hard and push hard to get results.”

He added: “Good leaders do not need to be captains or be given armbands but their character should naturally lead the team.

“Anyone who had a problem or issues, Peter’s door was always open for you. In fact he brought us all together like a father figure would do.

“Unfortunately I didn’t go to Tunisia for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals because I was injured but we had pushed hard together.”

In South Africa ‘Nsukuzonke’ as Ndlovu was nicknamed, played for Mamelodi Sundowns and Thanda Royal Zulu upon his return from Europe.

At one time, he was the highest paid player in South Africa before Sundowns signed Sibusiso Zuma who had also returned from Europe.

Ndlovu who was the first African player to play and score in the English Premier League when it was re-branded in 1992 and also the first African player to score a hat trick at Anfield Stadium is currently the Mamelodi Sundowns team manager.