NMMU welcomes a South African football legend!

Phil Masinga, a famous football player who played for Bafana Bafana (the South African national team) as well as for the English club Leeds United and the Swiss club FC Saint-Gall, started the 8th edition of the FIFA/CIES Sport Management Programme organised in cooperation with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). He joined his classmates in Port Elizabeth in September and will attend the curriculum until June 2015. We could not miss the opportunity of asking him a few questions about the reasons for his “return to the classroom”.

Why did you choose to enrol in the NMMU/FIFA/CIES sports management Programme?

P. M.: Essentially because this curriculum has an excellent reputation internationally and is taught by reputed institutions. I also felt that the time had come for me to reinforce my skills by benefiting from the knowledge offered by the programme.

What are your impressions after your first week in class?

I soon realised that I had a lot to learn about sports management. We tend to consider what happens on a pitch as normal and we just take it for granted… These classes have been a real eye-opener as I have realised the huge amount of work that needs to be done in the wings! I was also impressed by the teachers… And the atmosphere in class was relaxed, conducive to learning.

How do you think you will be able to use your new knowledge?

As vice-president of the Masters and Legends Football Association, my main objective is to use my knowledge to improve the programme our structure has implemented. In the future, I would also like to play a role within the South African Football Association. I believe that the knowledge and skills acquired in the framework of the NMMU/FIFA/CIES Programme could be useful.

How does it feel to be a student again after so many years devoted to your career?

I was a bit nervous… But from the very first moments in class, I felt comfortable. With the other students, we’re like a big family, which makes things easier. Now I have to find the right balance between work and hours of study at home, until I return to the classroom at NMMU in December!

It is noteworthy that Phil participated in the launch of the first edition of the NMMU/FIFA/CIES Programme in 2007. He also wrote a dedication on the official board of the event (see photo). His presence in the university classrooms today could therefore be described as a “Back to the Future” situation…