Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has identified four youngsters who he believes have the potential to become future stars for the club.
But Mokwena has also warned about the importance of not putting unnecessary pressure on the youngsters.
The four rising stars are Thapelo Maseko [19], Siyabonga Mabena [16], Ntando Nkosi [19], and Thando Buthelezi [20], whom football fans speak highly of.
Maseko joined Downs from their Tshwane rivals SuperSport United after having a great season with the three-times DStv Premiership champions last campaign.
Since signing for Mamelodi Sundowns, the former Matsatsantsa midfielder has been impressing when given game time by Mokwena. He is likely to be in Hugo Broos’s team at AFCON next year in Ivory Coast if he continues with his fine form.
Mabena became the fifth youngest player to make debut in the Premiership last season.
Last term, he made four league and one Nedbank Cup appearances. This season, Mabena became the youngest player to score in the history of the Premiership in Sundowns’ 3-1 win against Stellenbosch FC last month.
Mokwena excited about the future of the club’s youngsters
Highly-rated Nkosi was promoted to the Brazilians’ first team from their Under-19s this season and Mokwena tipped him for greater things in football too.
Buthelezi on the other hand is not new to the first team as he was promoted to the Pretoria giants last season in January.
Rulani Mokwena only had praise for the youngsters, stating that they have a bright future. “I try not to speak about individual players because football is a team sport,” he said.
“As for Maseko, we forget that he is only 19 years. And I spent a lot of time in the training field with him like I did with other players.
“With the youngsters, we have to exercise caution and not put them under pressure. They need lots of coaching. Maseko, like Nkosi, and Buthelezi are still kids and have got incredible potential and they need training time.
“The good thing for them is that God has blessed them with a lot of time in their career to shine and also show their talent. But we still have a lot of work to do with them from a coaching perspective to try to improve them.”
By Tshifhiwa Luvhengo
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