Sipho Mbule came under fire after a damning report claimed the talented midfielder arrived at a Mamelodi Sundowns training session under the influence of alcohol.
The player’s former coach at Harmony Academy in the Free State, Pitso Mokoena, has revealed what the 24-year-old told him about the alleged Sundowns saga.
Sipho Mbule was allegedly sent home from a Sundowns training session last month as he was intoxicated. On a separate occasion, his senior, Andile Jali is also said to have done the same.
Pitso Mokoena, who unearthed Mbule as a teenager years ago, said he had a long phone call with him.
During the call, as Mokoena recalls, Mbule also claimed he did not show up for practice at Chloorkop drunk, dismissing the media reports.
WHAT MBULE TOLD HIS FORMER COACH ABOUT THE ALLEGED MISCONDUCT SAGA
“Fortunately, when I read the news, I called Sipho because I also noticed that he was not in the Sundowns team that played last night [in the Nedbank Cup against Marumo Gallants],” Mokoena told FARPost.
“I called him to ask that you are not in the team; what’s the problem? And the first things he said ‘coach, I know you are calling based on the news, and coach, I’m not involved. I’m not in a hearing. I don’t know the story. I was not in the team because I’m serving a suspension of four yellow cards, and coach, there is nothing; I’m still behaving, disciplined, and I’m happy’.”
Mokoena has an eye for talent as he discovered and nurtured Mbule’s football ability at Harmony Academy, which has, over the years, produced gems such as Teboho Mokoena and Lerato Manzini, to name a few.
The development coach believes that Mbule, a star player at SuperSport United, is most likely frustrated at Sundowns due to limited game time.
Mbule has played 582 minutes this season in Sundowns colours, including in the CAF Champions League, with a goal and an assist to his name.
‘SIPHO ASSURED ME HE’S NOT DOING ANYTHING FUNNY’
“I talk with Sipho almost every week, and I reminded him to stay grounded more, especially after the SuperSport United saga,” declared Mokoena.
“If the news about him going to practice drunk is accurate, then he is not learning, as the same thing happened at SuperSport, he has a second chance now at Sundowns, which is a bigger team, and that’s where he wanted to be.
“I know that when I talk to him sometimes, he is frustrated because he doesn’t play enough, 20 minutes here and there, but at some point, he won a Man of the Match award after playing close to 90 minutes and raised his hand to the coach [Rulani Mokwena] to say he is ready and wants to play.
“Sundowns gave Mbule a second chance because they saw potential in him, and I urge him to make use of this opportunity.
“Sipho assured me that he was not doing anything funny or misbehaving. I saw the trending video and pictures; they are old while he was still at SuperSport United, and he was not drunk.
“But I must admit that Sipho has always been a naughty boy. I was patient with him at the Academy.
“He misbehaved several times, but I had to be patient. We had many incidents of Sipho going out at night at the Academy, going to parties, and I could not chase him away as he was a kid; I had to sit down with him and try to show him the way.”
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