George Maluleka talks new project, coaching badges

The 36-year-old has officially hung up his boots, with Motsepe Foundation Championship side Kruger United his final stop in the professional game.  

Newly recruited as a Betway ambassador, Maluleka has now shifted his focus to projects beyond the pitch. 

"I'm doing a few things, outside of football as well, in business I'm into mining, and also trying to get my coaching badges at the moment," said Maluleka.

"I want to start my own academy one day, but focussing on the little ones – I want to throw a ball at them from the age of six or seven, I think thta's what we're missing right now in our football and I'm very big on development.

"And I think that will just maybe try and cover that loophole for the future generation – we have PSL players that make their debut at like 24, which is very late.

"In Europe, when you're 15 or 16, you're gone, and I think I can try make that change, and I think a step in that direction can make it possible for the next village child as well."

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‘Mido’ has already been granted land and is putting final touches on what he envisions as a state-of-the-art facility.  

"I want to go countrywide, but the first one will definitely be in Polokwane because I've already been granted land, so there's a lot happening and that's why I also fell off the radar a bit," he added.

"I've been travelling a lot, working, and I'm busy with an architect right now to try and build a sports complex in the village, but it's right on the main road.

"It's a sports complex with a stadium, with a lot of other sporting codes inside – even swimming being one of them, and in Magaeng it very hot there, so I think it would be nice for the village kids to know how to swim and everyone knows the safety measures are all ticked off."