‘Everyone had written me off’, says PLK City captain after promotion

Polokwane City captain Puleng Marema reckons that many people had “written him off” when his side got relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship three years ago. 

Marema, formerly known as Puleng Tlolane is the longest-serving player of the Rise and Shine, was visibly emotional when City gained automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership on Sunday afternoon. 

This comes after City thrashed Pretoria Callies 4-0 in their last league match of the campaign. 

Interestingly, Marema was on the scoresheet and contributed an assist when they humiliated Up The Romans at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

The highly-experienced striker made his professional debut in 2012 for the “Orange Army”. 

PULENG MAREMA: ‘EVERYONE HAD WRITTEN ME OFF’ 

“I’m too emotional, I don’t know what to say. I have tried to get a promotion two times and failed. This season I told myself I’m going to try again,” said Marema after securing his side promotion. 

“It was difficult. Last season, I lost my father, and this year I lost my uncle a few days ago. This is for them. 

“I wanted to promote this team and almost everyone had written me off saying what I’m I still doing here because I don’t deserve to be here. So, today here I am, I’m a champion.”

The 32-year-old frontman continued: “To score here today was for my uncle because I couldn’t go to the funeral. And to win the championship is for my father. I’m very happy and proud of the boys. We did everything right,” he added. 

“Thanks to the chairman he had faith in me. When we got relegated, everyone left and I said I’m not going anywhere. I told myself that I’m going to take the team back where it belongs.”

WHAT MAREMA TOLD HIS TEAMMATES BEFORE PRETORIA CALLIES GAME

Marema went on to divulge what he had told his teammates before their game against Callies on Sunday. 

“I told them you know what gents, first of all, playoffs mission has been accomplished so now let’s just go and try to get the big fish which is to win the league,” he added. 

“It doesn’t matter what’s happening on the other side. So, for us, we must just win our game and God was there watching over us.”

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