Tovey thanks SAFA and Winnie
Neil Tovey has thanked SAFA for its support in the wake of his recent heart attack. SAFA president, Danny Jordaan, met with Tovey yesterday to discuss his recovery and wish Tovey well.
"Thank you very much, President. Thanks also to the hierarchy of KZN football. Thanks too to South Africa and everybody who have shown so much empathy and really great support. You know you cannot pull through alone in anything you do," Tovey said.
"I wasn't in a good position at one stage. Luckily you drive hard as a footballer. You get out of it. You get out of trouble and you go forward," Tovey added.
Tovey also thanked Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula, and revealed that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had sent him flowers.
"I think the sport I played in has helped speed up my recovery rate. The doctor was very happy when he saw me this morning. He is happy with my progress. I will have to see him again in the next three weeks and then he will tell me the extent of the damage to the heart and the situation we are in. He is very comfortable with where we are at this moment in time," Tovey said.
Tovey added that he had flatlined when the heart attack had happened and that the doctor is certainly satisfied in the context from where they are coming from.
"From where you were to where you are now - it is a miracle," Jordaan commented.
Jordaan added that winning the 1996 Nations Cup is part of the miracle of Tovey's life to date.
"Winning that trophy encapsulates what you have meant for this country. No one in the world thought that South Africa could win that Cup of Nations," Jordaan added.
Tovey currently serves as SAFA Technical Director.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre
"I wasn't in a good position at one stage. Luckily you drive hard as a footballer. You get out of it. You get out of trouble and you go forward," Tovey added.
Tovey also thanked Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula, and revealed that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had sent him flowers.
"I think the sport I played in has helped speed up my recovery rate. The doctor was very happy when he saw me this morning. He is happy with my progress. I will have to see him again in the next three weeks and then he will tell me the extent of the damage to the heart and the situation we are in. He is very comfortable with where we are at this moment in time," Tovey said.
Tovey added that he had flatlined when the heart attack had happened and that the doctor is certainly satisfied in the context from where they are coming from.
"From where you were to where you are now - it is a miracle," Jordaan commented.
Jordaan added that winning the 1996 Nations Cup is part of the miracle of Tovey's life to date.
"Winning that trophy encapsulates what you have meant for this country. No one in the world thought that South Africa could win that Cup of Nations," Jordaan added.
Tovey currently serves as SAFA Technical Director.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre