Polokwane City midfielder Puleng Marema has explained why he snubbed Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
The 35-year-old has been with Rise and Shine since 2012 and despite offers from other teams including Amakhosi, he remained in Polokwane.
Speaking to iDiski Times, the Polokwane City attacker admitted he had regrets about rejecting Kaizer Chiefs at first.
“At first, yeah, I had a lot of regrets,” Marema told iDiski Times.
“The reality is, if you want to go to another team, it is obviously because of money. Football is about money. But there was a point when the chairman gave me the biggest contract that I could never refuse.
“That contract, at that time, I can probably say I’m sure there were some players at big teams that I was earning more than they were.”
Polokwane City captain said no to Kaizer Chiefs
The veteran PSL star said he chose happiness over fame and money.
“So, there was no way for me to go to Chiefs when I was happy here at home in Polokwane. The move to another club would have been about money.”
“We all want to show something after football,” added Marema.
Having spent 14 years at Polokwane City, Marema has made over 200 appearances for the club and scored 37 goals.
He said winning at Kaizer Chiefs wouldn’t have meant much if it meant that after a few years, he would have suffered.
“It doesn’t help if I won 10 league trophies and the top eight cup, but then after football, I don’t have money. So, now I must show trophies while my kids are suffering? For me, it’s an achievement to win something, but I was thinking about the bigger picture.
“What will happen after? Because, say I went to Chiefs, and they offered me a three-year, anything could happen after that. It’s football; they could have said goodbye even before the end of the contract. And you know the kind of pressure at those big clubs. Would I still be around playing like I am now?”
At 35, Marema is unlikely to join Kaizer Chiefs but his legacy at Rise and Shine is secured and he might venture into coaching in the near future.