The PSL club that offered ‘huge amount’ to hijack Mofokeng’s Pirates move
Former Orlando Pirates youth coach Mandla Qhogi has revealed a PSL club that made a lucrative offer to SAFA-Transnet School of Excellence to hijack Relebohile Mofokeng’s Buccaneers move.
Qhogi was among the Sea Robbers’ development coaches who first spotted Mofokeng while he was playing for the School of Excellence in a tournament. When Pirates made a follow-up, the Sebokeng-born attacker further impressed during other tournaments, such as the Pirates Cup and the Engen Knockout Challenge.
While the Soweto giants moved swiftly to secure the player, Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United had also expressed strong interest. The Brazilians, one of the traditional big three clubs in South African football, were aware of Pirates’ pursuit of the player.
However, Ezimnyama Ngenkani managed to finalise the deal after successful negotiations with Mofokeng’s parents and the School of Excellence.
Qhogi claims that Sundowns made a significant effort to acquire the young talent, even tabling an enticing offer to the School of Excellence. Despite this late attempt, Mofokeng had already committed to Orlando Pirates.
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“I saw Rele playing a tournament, not knowing he belonged to the School of Excellence,” said Qhogi during the interview with FARPost.
“I made a follow-up after that tournament, I [found out]. Then, the School of Excellence came to play the Pirates Cup. Then, that’s where the management of the cup also saw him.
“And we still had to follow up; we didn’t sign him immediately after the Pirates Cup. We followed him even when he played in the Engen Tournament because there were too many teams then [that were] after him, and we had to accelerate the process of signing him.
“We first went to the School of Excellence to discuss with them. They gave us the go-ahead to negotiate with the parents. We went to the parents; they were happy to give Rele to us.
“Then we went to the School of Excellence and told them the parents were happy. And the club took over from there, signing him.
“I was told Sekhukhune [United] were after him but the main one was [Mamelodi] Sundowns, they even offered a huge amount to the School of Excellence, I won’t mention it. But that was after we had signed Rele.”
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