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Josta Dladla

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Josta Dladla
Personal information
Full name Josta Shimane Dladla
Date of birth (1979-07-13) 13 July 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right winger,
Striker
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)
2015–2016 Moroka Swallows 17 (0)
International career
2002–2006 South Africa 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Josta Dladla (born 13 July 1979) is a South African football (soccer) midfielder. He was capped 6 times for South Africa.

Early life

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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

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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.[1] Dladla made his professional debut against AmaZulu in a 1–1 draw on 19 December 1999.[2] Dladla received attention for his remarkable playmaking prowess, and was eventually sold to AGF Aarhus at the end of the 2001/02 campaign.[3] 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!".[4] He played his last match for Aarhus against the same team he debuted against Viborg FF on 29 May 2004 losing 2–0.[5] 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.[6] 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.[citation needed]

Statistics

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Club

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Club performance
Season Club League apps League goals
1999–00 Wits University 15 1
2000–01 Wits University 34 7
2001–02 Wits University 31 9
2001–02 AGF Aarhus 5 1
2002–03 AGF Aarhus 26 5
2003–04 AGF Aarhus 31 3
2004–05 Mamelodi Sundowns 18 0
2005–06 Mamelodi Sundowns 23 5
2006–07 Mamelodi Sundowns 23 2
2007–08 Mamelodi Sundowns 26 5
2008–09 Mamelodi Sundowns 9 1
2008–09 Kaizer Chiefs 9 0
2009–10 Kaizer Chiefs 27 4
2010–11 Kaizer Chiefs 23 0
2011–12 Kaizer Chiefs 19 4
2012–13 Kaizer Chiefs 17 1
2013–14 Kaizer Chiefs 7 0
2014–15 Kaizer Chiefs 0 0
Career total 343 48

International career

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Dladla was the 138th player to be capped for South Africa after isolation. He earned six caps, all as a substitute.[7]

Personal life

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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.[6]

Style of play

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Danish soccer writer, Hans Christian Blem stated that Dladla is Very quick and has excellent technique.[4] 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.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Home - Kaizer Chiefs FC".
  2. ^ "SuperSport".
  3. ^ "Club Profile | Bidvest Wits". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Dladla outshines Zuma in Denmark".
  5. ^ "danskfodbold.com - DBU's Officielle Statistikere". www.danskfodbold.com. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Dladla ready to tattoo Chiefs' name on PSL title".
  7. ^ "Telkom Knockout 2014 - News and Stats about Josta Dladla". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Josta Dladla 'a Giggs in the making'". City Press. South Africa. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
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