Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebo Maboe has responded to the scathing assessment made by Polokwane City FC head coach Phuti Mohafe regarding his Man of the Match accolade when the two teams locked horns recently.
Maboe says he did not take Mohafe’s comments personally as Chiefs and Polokwane played to a 0-0 draw in a Betway Premiership clash at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane this past Saturday.
Though Maboe walked away with the Man of the Match honours, Mohafe was far from convinced. The Polokwane City coach argued that his tactical plan had rendered the Amakhosi midfielder “invisible,” insisting that Manuel Kambala, Simon Ramabu, or Tlou Nkwe were more deserving of the accolade, with Kambala neutralising the Amakhosi star.
Despite the critique, this marked Maboe’s fifth MOTM award of the season and his fifth in recent outings, following a blistering hat-trick of awards against Orbit College FC, Durban City FC, and Magesi FC.
KAIZER CHIEFS MIDFIELDER OPENS UP ON RECENT COMMENTS BY POLOKWANE CITY COACH
But speaking on the Radio 2000 Sports Show, Game on, Maboe says Mohafe had a point in questioning the award.
“To be quite honest, I also felt the same, you know. I felt like it was not one of the best games that I have played personally, that’s the feeling I had after that game,” said Maboe. “But playing Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium was always going to be difficult. We knew what we were coming against.
“We knew that we were playing against a team that plays a lot of long balls and plays with second balls. So we knew that it was going to be difficult. It wasn’t going to be easy for us. We tried, but it’s just unfortunate that it was a game where we couldn’t get a goal to decide the game.”
WHY PHUTI MOHAFE DID NOT TAKE MAN OF THE MATCH COMMENTS PERSONALLY
The 31-year-old maintained that he harboured no ill will following the Polokwane City coach’s remarks, choosing instead to take the critique in his stride.
“Not at all. Personally, as well as a player, you know when you did well,” he added.
“You know when you played well. On my end, as well, personally, I think he’s got a point, actually. But personally, that wasn’t one of my greatest games. But I didn’t take it in any bad way. Not at all.”
RELATED STORY: Polokwane coach questions Maboe’s Man of the Match award