Orlando Pirates legend Innocent Maela opted to call time on his career at the conclusion of the previous season.
Maela’s future was the subject of much speculation last season as he struggled for game time at Pirates.
Maela retired at the end of last season
Rumours started to surface towards the end of the campaign that Pirates could advise him to retire. This as they wanted to help Maela transition into a behind the scenes role at the club, to honour his contribution. There was also always the possibility that the Mpumalanga-native took the decision to leave and pursue more years of football elsewhere.
In the end, Maela decided to end his career at the club it all began. Speaking to the Pirates Podcast, he reveals why.
Why ex-Pirates man walked away early
“I still look fresh. I have said this before, and I’ll still say it again, that I took some time to check within myself, and I was searching for that spark. You need that spark to keep on going. Each and everyday you wake up, you go to training, it’s the same routine. So when I was trying to find that spark within myself, I couldn’t find it, and I asked myself why? I checked that for the past 15 years, I have been living off the same schedule. Ever since I joined the academy, it’s been the same thing. You wake up at this time, you go to training at this time, you eat at this time.” Maela said.
“I believe I reached a point where I didn’t want to go through that anymore. When I was searching for this spark, I was like, ‘I can’t find it, so what am I doing, why should I continue doing the same?’ It was mental and emotional fatigue. I was like I believe it is time. I had a conversation with my family, my wife and they supported me. They were like ‘Okay, it’s going to make you happy, it’s time now.” Concluded the former Pirates captain as per FAR Post.
Your favourite memories?
In the end, Maela retired at the age of 32 and at Pirates. Comment your favourite moments of his career below.