Matsilela Ephraim Sono (affectionately known as Jomo Sono and sometimes also called the "Black Prince of South African Soccer") (17 July 1955 - ) is a South African soccer club owner and coach and was also a star soccer player. July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) The Current Laws of the Game (LOTG) The Rec. ...

Early life and soccer player

Sono was born in the suburb of Orlando East in Soweto, near Johannesburg. When he was eight years old his father Eric "Scara" Bhamuza Sono, who was a midfielder for the Orlando Pirates soccer team in the early 1960s, died as a result of a car crash. Soon after, his mother abandoned him. Johannesburg, including Soweto, from the International Space Station Soweto is an urban area in Johannesburg, in Gauteng province South Africa whose northern boundary begins about 15km south-west of central Johannesburg. ... City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... Eric Bhamuza Sono (died 1964) was a South African soccer player and pioneer of non-racial sport, who ignored the apartheid laws prohibiting people from competing with other races. ... In association football (soccer), a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. ... Orlando Pirates are a South African football team, founded in 1937 in the Orlando section of Soweto, South Africa. ...

Consequently, Sono was left in the care of his ailing grandparents; as they were very poor, he had to resort to selling apples and peanuts at soccer games and train stations in order to clothe himself, buy food for his grandparents and pay school fees.

Sono’s soccer career had an unusual beginning; during a match that he attended one of the Orlando Pirates’s regular players was absent and Sono was requested to stand in for him. He soon gained fame for his all-round ability, dribbling and accurate passing skills. It was during this time that he was given the nickname of Jomo (which means "burning spear") by an Orlando Pirates fan, who saw in him the same leadership qualities as those of Jomo Kenyatta, the then president of Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta (October 20, 1892 ?– August 22, 1978) was an African politician, the first Prime Minister (1963–1964) and President (1964–1978) of an independent Kenya. ...

After he had accomplished everything that he set out to do at Orlando Pirates, Sono went to the United States of America, where he played for the New York Cosmos team; one of his team-mates was the legendary player Pelé. He also played together with another South African soccer star of the time, Kaizer Motaung, who went on to play for the Atlanta Chiefs and later founded what is arguably South Africa’s most famous club, Kaizer Chiefs. The New York Cosmos (1971-1985) was a franchise in the North American Soccer League. ... Edson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (born October 23, 1940), nicknamed Pelé, a Brazilian, is a former football player and thought by many to be the finest player of all time. ... Kaizer Motaung (16 October 1944 - ) was a South African soccer player and founder of the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, of which he is still (as of 2005) chairman and managing director. ... The Atlanta Chiefs and Atlanta Apollos were a soccer team based out of Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1972. ... Kaizer Chiefs are a leading South African football team, founded in 1970. ...

Club owner and coach

After his soccer career in the USA ended, Sono returned to South Africa, where he purchased the Highlands Park club in Johannesburg in 1982, renaming it Jomo Cosmos in honour of his old team. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Under his ownership, the club went on to achieve several successes: it won the National Soccer League in 1987, the Bobsave Super Bowl in 1990, the Cola Cola Cup in 2002 and the Super Eight in 2003. Jomo Cosmos has also consistently finished among the top teams in the South African Premier Soccer League. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa, also known by its initials (PSL). Exernal link PSL official web site Categories: Stub ...

Sono has also taken a leading role in discovering and developing new football talent, especially from rural areas. Some of the players whom Sono recruited and then went on to play for the South African national team and European clubs include Philemon Masinga, Helman Mkhalele, Sizwe Motaung and Mark Fish. Indeed, his recruits formed the core of the South African squad that won the 1996 African Nations Cup; Sono was also a technical advisor to the team’s head coach Clive Barker during the tournament. First International Australia 1 - 2 South Africa (Sydney, Australia; 10 May 1947) Largest win Australia 0 - 8 South Africa (Adelaide, Australia; 17 September 1955) Worst defeat Australia 5 - 1 South Africa (Newcastle, Australia; 7 June 1947) Mexico 4 - 0 South Africa (Los Angeles, USA; 6 October 1993) USA 4 - 0... Mark Fish (born 14 March 1974) is a former South African footballer. ... The 1996 African Nations Cup was the 20th edition of the African Nations Cup, the South Africa, who replaced original hosts Kenya. ...

In 1998, Sono was appointed as caretaker coach of the Bafana Bafana just before the African Nations Cup tournament in Burkina Faso in the place of Philippe Troussier, who had been sacked just before the event. Under Sono, the team reached the final of the tournament, where they lost to Egypt. Taking the short time that he had to prepare with the team into account, it was considered a remarkable feat. 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... The 1998 African Nations Cup was the 21st edition of the African Nations Cup, the Burkina Faso. ... Phillipe Troussier (born March 21, 1955 in Paris) is a former French football (soccer) player and now a manager. ...

After a disappointing performance by the South African national squad during the 2002 African Nations Cup in Mali, Sono was again appointed a technical director to the team. However, the head coach of the team at that time, Carlos Queiróz, felt that his position was being undermined by this appointment and resigned. Sono was again appointed as caretaker coach, this time for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The 2002 African Nations Cup was the 23rd edition of the African Nations Cup, the Mali. ... Carlos Queiróz (born March 1, 1953 in Nampula, Mozambique) is a Portuguese football (soccer) coach. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

During the 2002 Football World Cup, the South African squad did not progress beyond the first round; however, they did score five goals and achieved one win, one draw and a 3-2 loss against pre-tournament favourites Spain. The South African captain, Lucas Radebe, credited Sono with much of the team’s performance, saying that he had instilled a good spirit within the team and that he had ensured a very positive atmosphere among the squad. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Lucas Radebe (born 4 December 1969) is a former South African soccer player and national team captain. ...

Sono is the longest-serving coach in the South African Premier League and also sits on the board of the Premier Soccer League. He has also built up a reputation as a successful businessman; in addition to making a substantial profit by developing players and selling them to European teams, he also owns a number of businesses and is a chairman of numerous companies.

He is married and has four children.

Sono was voted 49th in the Top 100 Great South Africans (see List of South Africans) in 2004. // Top 100 Great South Africans In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll to determine the 100 Greatest South Africans of all time. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

Jomo Cosmos Soccer Club Website