Born in Johannesburg and bred in Durban, Mike Makaab studied at Glenwood High School in Durban and later at Wits Technikon. He is the leading South African football agent and CEO of Prosport International, a top global Sports Management company.
Among the many clients they represent in the major sports, they manage the careers of over 150 footballers, professional and amateur, worldwide. Always passionate about the game of football, Mike’s role models when he was young included Bobby Chalmers, Les Salton, Jomo Sono, Teenage Dladla and Ace Ntsolengoe, who died recently. “I still feel Jomo Sono was the best footballer this country produced,” he said.
Makaab didn’t play as a professional but turned out for Umbilo and Juventus in the Natal Football Association’s years and was coached by George Spenceley and Clive Barker, who both taught him a good deal.
Mike’s wealth of knowledge makes him an expert in all things soccer which is the sport of choice for most of Gagasi FM’s listeners. His insight and experience gives the listeners confidence to trust Mike’s opinion.
He is much loved by Gagasi FM’s Extra Time listeners with regular callers calling in during the show often to agree, disagree and even challenge him which makes for good radio. Mike gave up playing at 27 but his interest in the game never waned and he went on to become a very successful coach.
“My enthusiasm for coaching gained momentum when I took over the reins at Juventus and we defeated the all-powerful Stella team and went on to win the league championship in those fondly remembered amateur days,” recalled Makaab. The highlights of his coaching career was winning the league in 1994 with Orlando Pirates and contributing to the team becoming champions of Africa a year later.
He was also a Technical Advisor to the Bafana team that won the African Cup of Nations in 1996 and qualified for SA’s first ever World Cup in France in 1998.
