Pitso Mokoena’s message to Sipho Mbule to unlock his full potential
Pitso Mokoena, former Sipho Mbule’s coach at youth level, has given the talented midfielder advice on unlocking his full potential.
Mokoena is the coach who coached Mbule from his youth at Harmony Academy in Free State until he graduated to become a professional football player.
Season after season, the 26-year-old has been tipped to reach his highest level of football. He started playing his professional football at SuperSport United in 2017 before making a switch to crosstown rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in 2022.
In Tshwane giants colours – Sundowns, Mbule has played 51 matches in all competitions. He scored three goals and provided one assist. He has won three trophies with the club: two league titles and the inaugural African Football League [AFL].
At national team level, Bafana Bafana has earned four caps under former Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter back in 2017.
PITSO MOKOENA ON HIS ACADEMY GRADUATE SIPHO MBULE
Mbule’s flashy skills and natural ability are undeniable, yet he hasn’t quite translated that into consistent top-level performance. Mokoena pinpointed attitude and social circles as areas Mbule should address.
The midfielder is also a controversial figure in football. At SuperSport, he was suspended following disrespectful behaviour towards the technical team and his teammates.
There were reports at Masandawana that Mbule once came to training under the influence of alcohol. However, the midfielder dismissed the allegations to Mokoena.
“With Sipho [Mbule], it’s a matter of attitude; he needs to change it, that’s all,” Mokoena told FARPost. “The people around him also must change. By that, I mean he needs to change the people that he’s associating with outside of football, his friends.
“I believe he’s in a category of a lot of players like the late Gift Leremi and Emmanuel ‘Scara’ Ngobese. He knows football, it’s a case of, ‘let’s sit down with Sipho, let’s put Sipho in a correct attitude’, then everything will be well.
“That’s people born with football; he’s got football brains; he will do whatever a coach wants him to do on the field.”
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