Siwelele FC head coach Godfrey Mosoetsa has explained the vital importance of having veteran midfielder Vincent Pule in his squad, highlighting the 34-year-old’s leadership and work ethic both on and off the pitch.
Pule has been an integral figure for the Mangaung-based outfit since their acquisition of top-flight status from SuperSport United in 2025. The former Orlando Pirates attacker missed just seven league matches during the 2025/26 campaign and has remained a cornerstone of Mosoetsa’s starting line-up in the current season.
The experienced campaigner also wore the captain’s armband on Sunday evening when Siwelele FC were knocked out of the Carling Knockout Cup in the quarter-finals following a 2-1 defeat against Kaizer Chiefs at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Speaking to journalists after the match, Mosoetsa praised Pule’s selflessness, noting that his presence serves as a crucial learning blueprint for the younger players in the team.
MOSOETSA HAILS VINCENT PULE’S LEADERSHIP AND IMPACT AT SIWELELE FC
“He’s one of the most key players in the team. Down to earth, humble, but hardworking,” Mosoetsa said. “You can see he is one of the senior players leading from the front. He takes responsibility and does all the right things. That’s why a player of his calibre is someone we want in the team — so he can guide players like Manelisi Mazibuko. With Pule around, those young players can learn a lot.”
MOSOETSA RUES CONCEDING IN ‘CRITICAL PHASES’ AGAINST CHIEFS
Despite their exit from the competition, Mosoetsa was generally pleased with the performance of his side, though he rued their recurring bad habit of conceding goals at crucial moments.
Chiefs opened the scoring seconds before the halftime break, before sealing the victory with six minutes remaining in regulation time.
“I think it was a good game of football. Initially, I was worried about the initial 15:00 CAT kick-off time, but playing at 18:00 CAT, I think the supporters really enjoyed it,” Mosoetsa explained. “It’s a pity we were on the losing end, especially considering we lost it in the critical phases, which has been one of our major challenges. The first goal was scored with a few seconds to go before half-time, and the second goal came with about six minutes remaining.
“This was the one thing I was very emphatic on before the match. I told them, ‘Guys, I hope today [Sunday] we are not going to concede in the critical phase.’ Unfortunately, both goals we conceded fell right into those moments.”
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