Lebo Moloto, a coach based in the USA, has weighed in on the future of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Katlego ‘Tsiki’ Ntsabeleng, sharing his views on what the player is truly capable of and why patience is non-negotiable for him to play regularly.
The former Kaizer Chiefs player joined the reigning Betway Premiership champions at the beginning of the current season. The 27-year-old joined Masandawana on a season-long loan from Major League Soccer [MLS] club FC Dallas.
He was scouted by the University of Coastal Carolina while he was playing for the University of Johannesburg and was offered a scholarship. He has also featured for Oregon State University and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers before his move to Dallas.
The Stars of Africa Football Academy product and ex-Kaizer Chiefs player has featured three times for Sundowns in all competitions.
NEW MAMELODI SUNDOWNS MIDFIELDER URGED TO BE PATIENT
Moloto, who described Ntsabeleng as one of the most technically gifted players, says it will take time for the player to settle into a star-studded team like Sundowns.
“It takes a lot of time to adjust. He’s been here [USA] for a while. The style of play here is different,” Moloto told FARPost.
“The weather is different, and the facilities are different. Other players still need to understand what kind of player he is. He also needs to understand who every one of those players is because he is coming to an already moulded team.
“So he is coming as an outsider, and he needs to figure out a lot about the team. So he still needs to adapt to a lot of things at Sundowns.”
WHAT LEBO MOLOTO MAKES OF KATLEGO ‘TSIKI’ NTSABELENG AS A PLAYER
“Personally, I have been to a lot of his games. He was three-and-a-half hours away from me in the USA. He’s someone I talked to even today. I think he has a pretty good journey for sure. He is very resilient. The kid can work. He is very coachable; he wants to learn and grow.
“So he’s only going to get better. A little bit of patience and grace, and from himself, too. Sometimes it’s frustrating as a player when you come in, and you know what to do, but you are not able to do those things. So sometimes I think he needs to step back and give himself time. But technically, he is a very good player.”
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