Bafana Bafana legend Teko Modise has delivered a stinging reality check to Orlando Pirates playmaker Sipho Mbule, suggesting the midfielder is in danger of becoming a perennial “talent of the future” who never truly arrives.
The 28-year-old Mbule has been experiencing an inconsistent season with the Buccaneers. He started the term in fiery form but is now struggling for regular football.
Since breaking into the professional ranks at SuperSport United during the 2017/18 season, Mbule has been tipped to reach lofty heights in his career. Despite some reported disciplinary issues at Matsatsantsa, the midfielder still managed to make a big move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
He continued to hog the limelight for issues said to be distracting his career at Masandawana, leading to a loan transfer to Sekhukhune United for the second half of last season. A move to Pirates before the start of the current term promised to unleash the beast in Mbule.
But after a terrific start to the season and going to the 2025 AFCON finals with Bafana Bafana, Mbule has lost form and is now a bit-part player at Pirates. Once touted as the new Themba Zwane by South Africa coach Hugo Broos, the midfielder is now out of the national team.
His chances of making the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad appear slim. That leaves Modise convinced that Mbule is yet to realise his full potential.
‘MBULE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE LIKE MOFOKENG, ADAMS AND MOKOENA’: TEKO MODISE
Modise feels Mbule’s brilliance has been brewing for too long, and the playmaker is yet to explode to his full potential.
“I know I might sound like a hater. For me personally, it feels like he’s been bubbling under for so long,” Modise said on iDiski Dine Podcast.
“Like when Sipho was still at SuperSport. I think there were rumours of him going to [Kaizer] Chiefs, rumours of going everywhere. I was doing a Sundowns-SuperSport game. As I left, I bumped into Stan Matthews, and he said to me, ‘I need to talk to you.’ I said, ‘okay come.’
“He took me aside, and he said, ‘After you at SuperSport, the very same talent you had, the very same way I felt about you is this boy Sipho. Can you please talk to him? I think he has great potential, just like how you had, and I think he is just stuck in his ways, and I just need you to talk to him.’
“I have been asked to talk to Sipho for such a long time. Stan Matthews did, when Sipho signed for Sundowns, our chairman [Tlhopie Motsepe] at Sundowns did. For that, maybe because we don’t have similar stories, but maybe from a talent point of view. Maybe there are people who told Sipho that I have an issue with him,” the Bafana legend went on.
“Sipho has the potential to be great just like Rele [Mofokeng], [Jayden] Adams, Teboho Mokoena. They all have greatness. The reason why Mshishi is Mshishi is that Mshishi would go and train extra every single day.
“The very same distraction that everyone playing football had, we had them. Social media was there. There is no excuse; it’s on you. Use us as a reference.”
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