Josta Dladla

Josta Dladla
Personal information
Full name Josta Shimane Dladla
Date of birth (1979-07-13) 13 July 1979
Place of birth Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Right-winger,
Striker
Club information
Current team
Moroka Swallows
Youth career
Birch Acres
Wits University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2002 Wits University 80 (17)
2002–2004 AGF 62 (9)
2004–2009 Mamelodi Sundowns 99 (13)
2009–2015 Kaizer Chiefs 102 (9)
2015- Moroka Swallows
National team
2002–2006 South Africa 6 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 January 2014.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:26, 7 November 2013 (UTC)

Josta Dladla (born 13 July 1979, Soweto, Gauteng) is a South African football (soccer) midfielder for National First Division club Moroka Swallows and South Africa.

Early life

Dladla was born in Soweto and lived with his grandmother. His first pair of boots were the Puma Jomo Sono King and they were given to him by a family friend in 1986. He attended the Tsugang Primary School in Soweto. His father worked in England and he boarded a flight for the first time when he was in Grade 8 in 1995 when he went to visit him during the December holidays.[1]

Club career

He joined Wits in 1999 when he was still in high school and wore number 21 which was available and earned R1000,00 a month.[2] Dladla made his professional debut against AmaZulu in a 1–1 draw on 19 December 1999.[3] Dladla received attention for his remarkable playmaking prowess, and was eventually sold to AGF Aarhus at the end of the 2001/02 campaign.[4] He made his debut two weeks later, scoring in a 4–3 win over Viborg, helping them to their first win in a month. Fellow countryman Sibusiso Zuma also scored for his club against Esjberg. Dladla, by Danish newspapers was said to have outshined Zuma, Dladla also went on to say "What's all this fuss about Sibusiso Zuma? I'm better than him!".[5] He played his last match for Aarhus against the same team he debuted against Viborg FF on 29 May 2004 losing 2–0.[6] He joined Mamelodi Sundowns in 2004, where he scored 15 goals in 122 appearances and won the SAA Supa8, Nedbank Cup and two league titles.[7] He played his debut on 7 February 2009 in a 2–1 loss over Moroka Swallows. He scored his first goal on 29 November 2011 in a 3–0 win over Bidvest Wits from a solo run from the centre into the box in the 90th minute.

Statistics

Club

Club performance League
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
League
1999–00Wits University151
2000–01Wits University347
2001–02Wits University319
2001–02AGF Aarhus51
2002–03AGF Aarhus265
2003–04AGF Aarhus313
2004–05Mamelodi Sundowns180
2005–06Mamelodi Sundowns235
2006–07Mamelodi Sundowns232
2007–08Mamelodi Sundowns265
2008–09Mamelodi Sundowns91
2008–09Kaizer Chiefs90
2009–10Kaizer Chiefs274
2010–11Kaizer Chiefs230
2011–12Kaizer Chiefs194
2012–13Kaizer Chiefs171
2013–14Kaizer Chiefs70
2014–15Kaizer Chiefs00
Career total 34348

International career

Dladla was the 138th player to be capped for South Africa after isolation. He earned six caps, all as a substitute.[8]

Personal life

Dladla has a tattoo from his wrist to his shoulder on the right arm. He has body art called a sleeve and has the names of his wife, Thato and his son, Xavier who was born in 2006.[9]

Style of play

Danish soccer writer, Hans Christian Blem stated that Dladla is Very quick and has excellent technique.[10] Stuart Baxter said the following in a Citypress interview comparing Dladla to Ryan Giggs. "We wouldn't extend his contract if we didn't think he would become the Ryan Giggs of Chiefs, Josta can play wide, central, off the strikers and Josta shows that he has Giggs' resilience. He can be a substitute, start the match and still be a team player.[11]

References

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