Jomo Sono
Ephraim Matsilela Sono ( born July 17, 1955 in Johannesburg), better known as Jomo Sono, is a former South African football player and current coach. The nickname Jomo translated means burning or glowing spear and was an expression for Sonos leadership on the court. Sono is also known as the Black Prince of South African football.
Personal
Jomo Sono was born in Soweto, a township of Johannesburg. His father Eric Bhamuza Sono died in 1964 at the age of 27 in a car accident. Jomo was at that time eight years old. Because he left his mother shortly afterwards, Jomo grew up with his impoverished grandparents. To pay school fees or buy food and clothes he sold the age of ten apples and peanuts at football games or at railway stations.
Today Jomo is married and has four children. Both sons, Bamuza Sono and Matsilela Junior, playing for his club Jomo Cosmos. He lives in Houghton, a Vorot of Johannesburg, where Nelson Mandela is resident.
Playing career
In a game of Orlando Pirates lacked a regular player and so we asked the son of the former team captain to step in as a substitute. Quickly he knew with his all-round qualities to persuade and became a regular player. With the team from Johannesburg, he won the Double in 1975 and 1976 again the championship. The following year, Jomo Sono left his homeland and moved to New York Cosmos in the United States. There he played in the newly opened Giants Stadium along with world star Franz Beckenbauer and the century footballer Pele in a team. After a year and gained the championship of the South Africans went to the Colorado Caribous, a club which only a single season existed. After another year at the Atlanta Chiefs Sono moved to Toronto Blizzard. In his last career stop in North America, he played with Clyde Best, Jimmy Green Hoff, Francesco Morini, Peter Lorimer and Jan Möller in a team. He then returned to his native South Africa and played until 1985 ( or until 1987 as player-manager ) for his own club.
At national level, Jomo Sono could never show his skills because South Africa was excluded during his playing career due to the apartheid of all competitions. It therefore remained in numerous friendlies in again reassembled selection teams, which were not counted as an official international match.
Manager and coaching career
Club owner and businessman
After his return Sono bought with his money earned the Highlands Park Football Club and called him into Jomo Cosmos. This was done based on its one-year commitment to the StarTeam of New York Cosmos. After the takeover of the club achieved some successes, such as winning the National Soccer League in 1987, the Bobsave Super Bowl 1990, the Cola Cola Cup in 2002 and 2005 and the SAA Supa 8, 2003. Moreover Sono was known for his talent scouting in rural areas. So later internationals like Phil Masinga and Mark Fish were discovered. Players in talent formed the core of the team that won the African Cup of Nations 1996. Jomo Sono was a consultant for the former head coach Clive Barker at the tournament.
Sono also serves on the board of the Premier Soccer League and is one of the most experienced coaches in South Africa. In addition, he has due to its shops an excellent reputation as a businessman, owns several companies and sits on boards and committees.
South African national
Shortly before the start of the African Cup of Jomo Sono in 1998 was employed as manager of the South African national football team. Due to the good performance of the team and the prolific Benni McCarthy penetrated the Bafana Bafana prior to the finals. There, however, they lost to the Egyptians and their striker Hossam Hassan 0-2. Given the short preparation time under new coach this was a masterpiece. After the quarter-final exit at the African Cup of Nations 2002 Sono was re-appointed to the coaching staff of the national team, this time as Director of Sport. Coach of that team was Carlos Queiroz, who saw undermine his authority by Sono and therefore resigned shortly before the World Cup 2002. Jomo Sono took over once again as coach just before a major tournament. At the World Cup but the team failed to captain Lucas Radebe in the preliminary round. On 23 October 2009 he took over the job as technical director of the national team.
Title
As a player:
- South African Champion: 1975 and 1976
- South African Cup Winners' Cup: 1975
- American Masters: 1977
As manager:
- South African champion: 1987
- Bobsave Super Bowl: 1990
- Cola Cola Cup: 2002 and 2005
- SAA Supa 8: 2003
Furthermore, Jomo Sono won the 2002 election led to South Africa's footballer of the century.