Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has promised that Orlando Pirates' teenage sensation Relebohile Mofokeng is among the players that are being monitored by the national team along with SuperSport United's Shandre Campbell and others.
Many in the fraternity feel that such young talents are being delayed and should have been in the national team set-up already.
The duo missed out as Bafana concluded the FIFA international week with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Algeria in their friendly on Tuesday at a packed Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.
Some feel that Mofokeng and Campbell should have been part of the team that travelled to Algeria.
Former Pirates striker James Mothibi is confident that Mofokeng's chance in the national team will come following some of his impressive displays under Jose Riveiro at club level.
The Good
"Relebohile Mofokeng is a good player. He reminds me of some of the best players I played with at Pirates after joining the club from African Wanderers. I remember in one of the first interviews I did with Soccer Laduma in those days I was asked which striker I thought was going to give me problems, and I said (Lebohang) 'Cheeseboy' Mokoena. I told people to watch out for the boy and he was a gem. Everyone in the country now knows Lebohang Mokoena, and I am saying that Relebohile Mofokeng is also a gem that is being groomed by Orlando Pirates. Pirates are doing a great job with the boy and the national team coach is watching him," said Mothibi.
The Bad
"But I must say that watching such a talent that isn't being acknowledged (selected) by the national team coach at 19 years of age doesn't sit well with me. If Pep Guardiola can play a 17-year-old, and if (Jurgen) Klopp can play a 16-year-old, why are our South African coaches not having confidence in the youngsters. I'm also talking about Mduduzi Shabalala from Kaizer Chiefs and several other youngsters from clubs such as SuperSport United – the likes of (Shandre) Campbell and others," he added.
The Ugly
"We should be allowing these boys to grow in the system. There is a good thing that the national team coach and his technical team are doing and that's building the foundation. But the foundation must not be built with players who are 28, 32 and 34. You build your foundation with these young boys," he said.
"That's how you grow a player for the national team"
"The coach should introduce these young boys into the system even if he is not going to play them. That's a way of making them smell what international football is all about. You give them 10 or 15 minutes on the field, and that's how you grow a player for the national team," concluded Mothibi.
Should Mofokeng get a call-up for the next Bafana camp?
