Kenny Niemach Reflects on His Memorable Soweto Derby Debut for Kaizer Chiefs

Kenny Niemach took a trip down memory lane as he reminisced about his debut game for Kaizer Chiefs against Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby, which took place just hours after he completed his move from Mamelodi Sundowns.

In an exclusive phone interview with Efirbet a week before the anticipated match between The Glamour Boys and the Buccaneers, Niemach shared the experience of announcing his arrival to Amakhosi fans by scoring on his debut at FNB Stadium.

This remarkable achievement endeared him to the fan base of the Soweto Giants. The former radio and TV personality participated in just one training session at the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena before taking the field for his new team on a Saturday afternoon in 2001. The Soweto Derby is renowned as one of Africa’s greatest football rivalries. Here’s what he recalls:

I had the privilege of scoring in my debut during the first Soweto Derby I played in. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I feel blessed to have experienced it. We had about 120,000 people in the stadium watching us; you couldn’t hear someone a meter away. You need to have nerves of steel to go out there and perform. You must harness that energy, which requires a different mindset.

The 54-year-old emphasized the importance of players developing relationships off the field, as this would translate into success for the team. Niemach was part of the Chiefs’ squad that won every available title in a single season, a campaign dubbed ‘Operation Vat Alles’ by the club’s charismatic PRO, Putco Mafani.

In his interview with Efirbet SA, Niemach discussed his role at Chiefs and why he quickly adapted to life in Naturena:

They brought me in as a senior player to provide experience for the younger players. They hadn’t won a trophy in 10 years before that. They needed the perfect balance of experience and youth, and thankfully, that combination was very successful.

Life after football has been challenging for some retired players, many of whom struggle to find employment due to a lack of experience outside the sport. However, Niemach has found a quieter life as a real estate agent, selling homes in Gauteng province, which is about six hours away from Greenwood Park in Durban, where he was born and raised.

Niemach believes that leaning into his strengths has made adapting to life after football easier. He shared how he fortuitously ended up hosting a TV show on SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) after a producer of one of the shows invited him back to the studio to co-host, following an interview he had on TV while he was contracted to Moroka Swallows.

I was more comfortable in the media. I spent 15 years in television, including five years at SABC and SuperSport. This is a completely different journey for me. While I pursued coaching badges, coaching wasn’t as appealing. We have a significant problem in this country where teams typically have one coach and one assistant. You need at least five assistants who specialize in their fields. Former players who excelled in specific positions can teach young athletes. You can’t have a defender instructing a striker on how to score goals. There are specific skills required for scoring, and former strikers can impart that knowledge to younger players. This is something that needs to be practiced daily, not just once a week.

Niemach also trains young children through his foundation, the Kenny Niemach Foundation, which serves different townships around Johannesburg. He believes that with more funding, his foundation could develop more talent that could eventually contribute to the national team.