Film may miss most of the action because I was too fast for the cameras - Sono

Legendary soccer player, coach, talent scout, administrator and businessman Matsilele 'Jomo' Sono takes us down memory lane.

Dr Ephraim Matsilele “Jomo” Sono was born in Orlando East, Soweto on 17 July 1955. As a young man, he faced a very difficult childhood and was brave enough to take challenges head-on. He has a passion for football and scouting talent. Players he has nurtured have gone on to play for, among others, top sides in South Africa and abroad.

The owner of Jomo Cosmos Football Club is a man with a mind of his own, but today we are going to look beyond him as a football legend but look at him as a human being.

Most of my footballing days have been captured. In a short space of time, there will be a film about my life. Most of the stuff they might have missed because I was too fast for the cameras.

Dr Jomo Sono - Soccer legend and businessman

I was supposed to get a doctorate in 2010 during the World Cup and ... was said it is best if the doctorate was given to people who were involved in the World Cup and they will come back to me at a later stage. And I didn't get the doctorate, which to me was not an issue, to be honest.

Dr Jomo Sono - Soccer legend and businessmann

As I was sitting at home I get a phone call from one guy from Dubai and he says we have been looking for and your name came up and a lot of names from Africa, football, historians blah blah for a doctorate and your name came out tops. You have been accorded a doctorate for your contribution to football as a player, a talent scout, coach for the national team, and also as an administrator in football.

Dr Jomo Sono - Soccer legend and businessman

I've been honoured in the country. Mr Mandela honoured me, Mr Mbeki honoured me and Mr Zuma also honoured me. I think it's through God's strength and me believing a lot that God gave me all this talent and the energy. In our field when you are at the top you get criticised, but criticism makes me to work even harder.

Dr Jomo Sono - Soccer legend and businessman

Sono has been honoured with The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver.

Having lost his father aged 8, he says he was lucky that he learnt from his blind grandfather who had a small shop in the yard. Jomo says he is still trying to find out how his grandfather could also be a leader of a church. The old man gave him a headstart to buy and sell his stock to sell at the train station.

All I wanted to do was to play football. During those days at Pirates I was the fittest player.

Dr Jomo Sono - Soccer legend and businessman

Listen below for the full interview ...

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