Eastern Cape-born footballer Asavela Ndevu has opened up about a painful chapter in his football journey, claiming that his development coach prevented him from pursuing opportunities with Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.
Ndevu reportedly made a name for himself playing in the Eastern Cape SAB League’s U17 division. During the 2021/22 season, he enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 23 goals and providing seven assists in 16 matches across all competitions, according to the account shared during the interview.
The striker says his performances attracted interest from both Chiefs and Pirates. According to Ndevu, he informed his coach about the interest and initially believed he would be supported in pursuing trials.
However, he claims that things changed when preparations for the trials began. Ndevu alleges that his name was removed and that his coach told him he could not afford to lose him, eventually replacing him with another player.
The footballer described the experience as devastating, saying he felt that an opportunity which could have changed his life had been taken away from him.
Ndevu further alleges that his coach prevented scouts from gaining access to him, meaning he could not directly engage with the clubs that had reportedly shown interest.
Looking back, Ndevu expressed deep disappointment about how his career developed. He said that he is currently unemployed and feels that having only a matric qualification has not provided him with the opportunities he hoped football would bring.
He also spoke emotionally about the possibility of having shared the pitch with some of South Africa’s emerging talents, mentioning players such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi.
Ndevu’s story highlights the difficult realities faced by young footballers trying to break into professional football, particularly when opportunities depend on access to trials, scouts and development structures.
The allegations in this account are attributed to Ndevu’s interview and should not be treated as independently established facts.
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