Cape Town’s football public are in shock!
Especially football greats such as Farouk Abrahams who reacted with great sadness and disbelief to the passing of the legendary coach Nelson Joseph. Joseph passed on at his son’s house, Nelson jr. on Sunday. He was 84 years old.
“Oh my word!,” was Abrahams’ reaction to No Bones with Jones when he received the news on Monday. “I didn’t know he passed on… May his soul rest in peace,” Abrahams added.
Abrahams further paid tribute to what he described as an “absolute legend in football terms and as a remarkable human being.”
“I respected and loved Nelson to bits,” the former Bafana Bafana goalie coach further elaborated. ” He was my assistant coach at three Western Province u20 national tournaments, and we won all three in succession. He was an astute football brain and always contributed knowledge with a warm smile.. Nelson was the father figure to the boys in the WP camps which included the likes of Matthew Booth, Benni McCarthy, Moeneeb Josephs, Craig Bianchi, Rowan Hendricks and David Kannemeyer to name but a few, who went on to great heights in professional football.
“When there were disciplinary matters to sort out, I would let coach Nelson handle it, and the outcomes were always amicable and positive. I will remember Nelson for always having had my back, he used to tell me if he heard any negative gossip about me that he put the culprits in their place.
“What a huge loss to local football. Nelson epitomised why football is called “The Beautiful game”… He was a beautiful soul. Rest in peace my brother, my comrade, my friend for life. Sincere condolences to the family and friends,” Abrahams concluded.
For the record, what many do not know is that the current Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender Zuko Mdunyelwa is another protege who came through the hands of coach Joseph during their time together at the YDS Macassar FC club in 2018.
Meanwhile YDS’s chairman Derek Mbasa says it’s a great loss not just for the football fraternity but the broader society as well.
“Our club will have a memorial on Wednesday at the Macassar clubhouse at 18h30,” Mbasa confirmed to No Bones with Jones.
