Party days are over ... Andile Jali’s engine revving again for Mamelodi Sundowns

Johannesburg - There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. But that line does not need to be drawn when you are describing Andile Jali this season because he happens to embody both traits – as a person and a footballer.

Before athletes are athletes, they are humans. So it’s almost a given that they need to find themselves first before they can go out and entertain the masses. And that’s why every Mamelodi Sundowns fan must be happy to see the new Jali.

Jali has been tipped by his own coach Rulani Mokwena to be among the nominees for the Footballer of the Season award. But that wasn’t an overnight feat. It took a lot of self discovery from him to get back to what he does best: bossing the midfield week in and week out.

His return to local football in 2018 had taken a strain on his confidence and that saw a huge decline in his game. Sitting on the bench appeared to be more comfortable than the middle of the park. And, boy, that was a very bleak sight.

Jali was in Belgium for four years, plying his trade at KV Oostende, while he was a Bafana Bafana regular. He was so good that many experts tipped him to soar to bigger and better leagues in Europe.

Instead, Jali heeded the call to return home, joining Sundowns. Another failed export, the headlines read. But what tainted Jali’s return the most was that he failed to find comfort where he needed it the most: home. His marriage had crumbed.

It was bliss to some opposition fans who either felt that they dodged a bullet by not signing him or were eager to see the decline of the club after the arrival of the “problem child”.

But little did they know it would take some doing to ruffle a dressing room that Pitso Mosimane had worked so hard to keep calm and happy at all