Jabu Mahlangu
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| Jabu Mahlangu | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jabu Jeremiah Mahlangu | |
| Date of birth | July 11, 1980 | |
| Place of birth | Daveyton, South Africa | |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | |
| Playing position | attacking midfielder, central midfielder |
|
| Youth clubs | ||
| -1999 | [[[Kaizer Chiefs]] | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1999-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 |
Kaizer Chiefs SV Mattersburg Supersport United Orlando Pirates |
? (?) 22 (2) 9 (0) 18 (1) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2000-2004 | South Africa | 20 (2) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Jabu Mahlangu (formerly Jabu Pule) (born July 11, 1980 in Daveyton, Gauteng) is a South African football (soccer) midfielder who is currently unattached.
He is widely considered as a scintillating talent whose temperament and off-field discipline have undermined his footballing gifts.
Kaizer Chiefs were Pule's first club, where he was perennially in trouble for his wayward behaviour but forgiven on countless occasions because of his importance to the team. But Chiefs' officials lost patience with Pule and refused to give him a new contract when it ended in 2004.
His fortunes were no different at Austrian club SV Mattersburg, where he lasted eight months before he was sent packing. Jabu was asked to leave the club after crashing his car while under the influence of alcohol.
Twice sent to a rehabilitation clinic to overcome his drinking and drugs problems, Pule was sacked by SuperSport United late 2005 after missing several training sessions.
But Irvin Khoza, chairman of Orlando Pirates, decided to take a chance on the former South Africa international, who has been kicked out at his three previous clubs.
In early 2006, Jabu Pule changed his surname to Mahlangu, the name of his deceased father.
He represented the South Africa national football team several times and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and at the 2000 Olympic Games. during the departure for the world cup, the president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, was handshaking the payers wishing them good luck and when he came to Jabu he said "Jabu, you must behave yourself".
Pule affactionately known as "Shuffle" or "Ngwana wa Tshwenya" — literally "troublesome child" — to his supporters, for his ability to turn defenders around. It was once said by SABC sport commentator that, when Pule is on song, the opposition dances. He was a crowd puller at his former and first professional team, Kaizer Chiefs. Should his social ill improve, he might be back in national colours, Bafana Bafana.
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