Radebe seeks Chiefs farewell
Radebe seeks Chiefs farewell

Posted in News on Oct 09, 2003.

Former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe hopes to end his playing career with a return to his old club Kaizer Chiefs.

"I'm looking to go back to where I started to say my final goodbye to football," the defender told the BBC Sport website.

"It would be good to wear the gold and black of Kaizer Chiefs for one more time."

But Radebe, who ended his international career after South Africa's friendly against England on 22 May in Durban, said he would want an additional season with English Premiership club Leeds before returning to his homeland.

"I'm in the last season of my contract and we have had some talks about a new deal. I hope that everything would be settled very soon as I have had a good time at Leeds and my family have settled quite well here."

Leeds manager Peter Reid came close to being sacked as a result of their poor form in the Premiership campaign and Radebe believes the club's decision to sell their top players at the end of last season has been instrumental to their present misfortunes.

"We are suffering from the loss of players like Harry Kewell, Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate and our managerial and financial problems have not helped either."

The 34-year-old, who is a goodwill ambassador for South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid, admitted that quitting the international stage has been a bigger task than he first thought.

"It's been very hard [leaving the international stage]. I enjoyed putting the jersey on and I think that I did my best to see that South African football is respected.

"But I've had my chance and I think I've paved the way for the younger generation," Radebe said.

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