In a quest to play for an overseas team against all odds, former AmaZulu right winger Thulani Cele confirmed he will remain in Georgia after being released from prison.
While his family longs to see him and have him around, the 22-year-old has set his sights on playing football and has no intentions of returning home anytime soon.
This week, Cele, speaking in an interview on Andile Mncube’s on Metro FM, said he intends to stay in Georgia to play football as the season has recently ended, and a new one will resume in about three weeks.
WHY THULANI CELE WAS ARRESTED
Cele made headlines after it was revealed that he had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing a mobile phone, which he said he wanted to make a call home.
Last year, he was reported missing while going for a bogus trial in Georgia, and he was later found detained.
Cele acknowledged that his family wants him back in South Africa. He, however, said he told them he wanted to try to get a team.
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“I explained to my parents that the season will start in three weeks. Some teams heard about my case. They want to see me; that is why I’m still in Georgia,” Cele said.
Cele insists he wanted to finish what he went to Georgia for. At this stage, Cele will stay with friends until he realises his dream.
Cele graduated from the Nedbank Cup Ke Yona Team and was snapped up by Usuthu.
But he did not make a mark at DStv Premiership AmaZulu, and his career stalled.
Soon after parting ways with AmaZulu, Cele was assisted by an unknown agent he met while in the Ke Yona squad to arrange a trial overseas.
However, it was discovered that the trial at Georgia’s first division side, FC Gagra was bogus.