Relebohile Mofokeng, at 19 years old, has the world at his feet, quite literally. In his first full season with Orlando Pirates, the teenager has managed to help the Buccaneers to a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership, while winning two trophies in the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup respectively. His efforts have seen him roped into Hugo Broos' latest Bafana Bafana squad for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe. The Sebokeng-born starlet appears to have everyone impressed besides one person – his biggest critic, his father Sechaba Mofokeng, who has a completely different take on Rele's maiden professional season. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver, Mofokeng senior details how he predicted his son would be in top-flight football as a teenager, while revealing his desire to see him follow in the footsteps of Steven Pienaar and more…
Delmain Faver: Sechaba, thank you so much for speaking to us. When Rele scored on his Orlando Pirates debut against Royal AM, you said we haven't even seen a glimpse of the "real Rele". Were his displays this season what you were referring to?
Sechaba Mofokeng: I remember my words, and I can repeat them. I'm praying that coach (Hugo) Broos can give him even two minutes in the qualifiers; he will see another Rele.
DF: Are you saying that the same thing we saw him do against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final is what he will be able to deliver on the national team stage?
SM: What did he do this season? He never did anything! I told him on Sunday that yes he played 37 games, but he scored less than eight goals. He didn't do anything. He didn't have any Man of the Match awards. Yes, he has been nominated (for the PSL Awards) and I'm happy for that, but he never did anything, let's be honest. This is not the Rele that I know; this is not the Rele that I brought into this world!
DF: There are a few Pirates fans who would be ready to fight you at this point with these statements. Rele has been one of the country's best players this season, yet you say he hasn't done anything; it doesn't make sense?
SM: Rele must be nominated for the Footballer of the Season (Award) and make the Top Goal Scorers list – that's Rele. So, for now, I told him that he's done nothing, but he promised me that he would work harder next season. I told him that this is his chance. He has two games left before the season ends. In those two games he has to show the world what he has. I pray that he can get a little bit of a chance, maybe just 20 minutes, and the whole world will know who Rele is.
DF: The whole world is already starting to take note. First there was the trial at Wolves in England and now there are reports of interest from clubs all around the world…
SM: I'll be honest and say that, at the time Rele changed his surname, some people said, 'When someone changes his surname, things will not go well for him.' I said, it's fine. As his father, I'm praying that something can come up and that he can go overseas now, while he is still doing well. I'm confident he won't do badly when he goes overseas; I put my head on the block for that one.
DF: The confidence you have in his abilities, where does it stem from? Is it from the perspective of one of his earlier coaches when you threw him into the deep end to play in the SAB League as a 14-year-old, or is it from the perspective of a father who just wants his son to succeed?
SM: I spent a lot of time with Rele, besides football. As his coach, I used Rele as a 14 or 15-year-old in the SAB League (fourth tier). He played just two games, and I told people that in two years, this boy would be playing in the DStv Premiership. They said that he was too young, and I agreed, but I also believed that after two or three years, this boy would be playing in the DStv Premiership.
DF: In your debriefing session with him, what were your thoughts on his season in its entirety, seeing that he won two trophies this campaign?
SM: I told him that he did badly, not well – he did badly. He played 38 games. I told him that, as an attacking player, he needs to score more than 11 goals, which I would understand. He needs to have more than 15 assists and get at least five Man of the Match awards; (only) then would he have done well for me.
DF: What was his response to these expectations?
SM: On Sunday he was sad, and he said that he agreed with me that he didn't do well. But he promised that next season he would double his efforts. He said that if he scored six goals this season, next season he would score 12. He said it was his first full season and there were other things that he didn't understand clearly. He was still adapting. I understood. I would never show it to him that I accept that as a fact, but I would say he did badly because the coach and his technical team gave him the support and the confidence, the same can be said for his teammates. So why doesn't he score? How many chances did he miss?
DF: Maybe another adjustment for him must be the newfound fame. He was recognisable last season, but it has gone through the roof this campaign.
SM: I will say this to you, eish, I feel for him because my son is still very young. Even when we go to the mall next to where we live, it's so hard. He can't understand his life now. Everyone is talking about him, and they want to take pictures of him. He even smiles when we are in the car and says: "Taima, (father) is this seriously me." I told him that it is the life that he has chosen. The One who is above us chose him to be here. We don't have a choice but to be happy for it. I told him not to change. There are a lot of things happening outside, but I can tell you that Rele is still the same person who was playing for the School of Excellence. He doesn't have many friends. He only has two – myself and his mother. When he comes from training, we play a PlayStation and we talk about football, nothing else. There is a stadium next to us; we go there and rectify the mistakes that he made before he goes back to training.
DF: So in addition to the training he does at the club, you also do your own personal training with him?
SM: Each and every week! I analyse every game that he plays, and I tell him face to face what he did well and what he needs to improve on.
DF: You and your wife have such a vital role in ensuring that Rele keeps his feet on the ground and remains solely focused on his career. Has that become a bit more of a challenge under these circumstances?
SM: Let me explain this to you. I've learnt in life that as parents we need to support our children, regardless of what sporting code they do, that's the most important thing. If your child sees you supporting what he is doing, he gets the energy to do more. To keep Rele grounded, we do one thing – we are honest with him. We plead with him to remain true to us and not become someone else. I'm Sechaba, his mom is Naome, we want to see him succeed. In both our families, no one has ever done what Rele did, which means he is the face of South Africa. If he veers to the left and does the smallest thing, everyone will talk about it. So, he has to behave. If he walks from here to the shop and someone asks for a photo, he must appreciate it and take the photo, go to the shop and come back home.
DF: How has the community of Vaal embraced him as he is steadily putting the city on the map?
SM: People from the Vaal praise my son like never before; I don't want to lie. They have never even praised me like this. Everywhere I go people tell me to pass their regards and messages of support. We were supposed to prepare our first annual games, but we had to postpone it because Rele is with Bafana Bafana.
DF: There seems to be a healthy balance between football and his studies as he recently formed part of the PSL and MultiChoice's Player Transition Programme, where he was the youngest member there.
SM: That one is because of his mother. Each and every day, even this morning, she told Rele that he has to go back to school. She threatened that if he doesn't, she would go to Pirates and tell them that he must go to school. She doesn't want to hear anything; it's all she talks about.
DF: You also seem to be getting attention with all the agents calling you to promise your son the world.
SM: Eish, there are a lot of agents. I know that each and every day the phone must ring from an agent promising me this and that. I'm honest with everyone who has called me and I say: "You are an agency that wants to help my son. What are you going to do because Rele is already at Orlando Pirates? You must come with something that takes Rele to the next level." That's the only time I'll consider it.
DF: Hugo Broos has stated the importance of Rele remaining with Pirates for another season instead of leaving for Europe prematurely. As his father, where would you ideally prefer him playing his football?
SM: I'll be honest, and Rele knows. I'm praying that he can get a team in Holland for now. I said that he will only spend two years there before going to a big team. For me, Holland is the best country for development. I'll give an example: Steven Pienaar. When he left the PSL, he went to Holland. What happened after that? That is what I'm praying for my son. If it happens that he gets a team somewhere else, I'll be happy, but I told him he would only go there for two years. After that he must get a big team for us, then I'll be the happiest man in the world.
