Cameron Carnell reveals Orlando Pirates were unhappy after he chose US training

Venda Football Club defender Cameron Carnell says Orlando Pirates were unhappy with him after he left their development side, Pele Pele, to train in the United States.

The 24-year-old left-back made the revelation in an interview with iDiski Times journalist Lethabo Kganyago, published in edition 272 of the newspaper, as he reflected on his route into professional football.

Carnell began his career at the age of three with Johannesburg club Sporting before progressing through several local teams. He later spent two years with Mpumalanga Black Aces, followed by several seasons at Bidvest Wits, where he trained with the first team before the club was sold.

He then had a season and a half at Maritzburg United, after which his career took a setback and he returned to the ABC Motsepe League with Pele Pele FC, Orlando Pirates’ second team.

“I obviously started playing when I was three years old at a local club in Johannesburg called Sporting,” Carnell told iDiski Times.

“And from there moved on to different local clubs, and then I went to Black Aces for about two years. From Black Aces, I went to Bidvest Wits and was there for obviously a few years, trained with the first team, and then they got sold.”

Carnell said his performances at Pele Pele had put him in contention for promotion, but he chose instead to join his uncle’s team in the US for training.

“After that, I went off to Maritzburg United for another season and a half, and after that, that’s kind of where, like, a stop happened in my career, where I went back to play in, the [ABC] Motsepe League at Pele Pele FC, Pirates’ second team. I did well there.

“They actually wanted to bring me up, but I decided to go and train in America with my uncle’s team. And when I came back from that, Pirates were not happy about that.”

After leaving Pele Pele, Carnell joined Sekhukhune United’s second team, also in the ABC Motsepe League. He spent about four months there before being promoted to the first team.

He remained with Sekhukhune United for a season but made limited appearances. Carnell has now moved to Venda Football Club, where he hopes to establish himself through regular playing time.

“But anyway, I left there and went to Sekhukhune in their second team also in the ABC League and then played there for I think four months.

“And then they promoted me to the first team, and I was there for a decent season; I didn’t play much there, but yeah, it’s football. Now I’m at a club where I’m looking forward to getting game-time and the minutes and everything else to be able to further my career upon this as well.”