Teboho Mokoena has gone from academy product to the country's best player. From scrawny teen, to marauding midfielder; bright prospect to carrier of a nation's hope. From hunter to hunted. All of this is thanks to the determination and willingness to improve. The wisdom to do introspection and the tenacity to perfect the shortcomings of his game. Not only has he developed in stature on the field, but his growth off of it has been tremendous, which is evident in the confidence with which he speaks about his game and his team Mamelodi Sundowns. Courtesy of PUMA, Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver caught up with the reigning PSL Footballer of the Season as he shares his thoughts on the amazing feat, his personal growth as well as toppling the goals he has set for himself in the new campaign.
Delmain Faver: Tebza, it's a new campaign, and yet another season for you with PUMA. What are your thoughts on this season's Mamelodi Sundowns kit and the new boots that you are playing in?
Teboho Mokoena: I like the kit – it's beautiful, it's nice. There's a logo at the back of the jersey that has the African continent, which represents that we want to be the best in Africa and we want to be regarded as the best. So, that's one of our goals. With the boots, they are very comfortable and very nice. We love the brand, so, ja…
DF: Much has been said about that now famous trip to Dubai before the start of last season. Has there been a similar trip for you individually this time around?
TM: I usually go there for holidays and, of course, I train because the weather is very hot and I think it helps me with my stamina, so I get my stamina quick. Also, in Africa, the temperatures are very high, so going there works in my favour as we work in high temperature levels. I think the degrees are, like, 45 (degrees Celsius) a day and in Africa it is the same, so it prepares me for Africa.
DF: You managed to head out to the Netherlands with the rest of the squad, where you competed against some stern opposition. What did this inform you guys of where the team is in terms of quality?
TM: What I can tell you is (that) we South Africans are sleeping on ourselves. There is huge talent that we have here in the country, so I think the only problem is we are sleeping on ourselves. We went there and we played against these top teams, and I think we can all play there. I don't know if it's only the mentality or what, but I think we can do better. But of course, the facilities there are top, the pitches are very nice, and I think that's why we enjoyed our football there. You don't have to take an extra touch because the field is top. You know sometimes when we are playing back home, the pitches are not up to standard, and you have to take extra touches because it is bumpy, but there, the infrastructure is top and I think it's one of the things that we can invest in. But in terms of talent, my friend, we are just sleeping on ourselves. I think we can play there.
DF: You were the first to admit your shortcomings at the Brazilians immediately after making the big move from SuperSport United. How did you get to that level of introspection where you could analyse and break down your own game?
TM: I think, firstly, I was happy that I moved to Sundowns, and I gained a little bit of weight because I was excited. So, I saw and I knew what I had to work on. And also, obviously the stats, I was watching everything. I worked with the people who control the GPS and I compared my stats with what I had at SuperSport, and I could see what the difference was and I had to work on it. I thought that things were gonna be easy when I got here; surprisingly, they got harder. That's when I knew I had to work hard on myself before I could work hard with the team. So, I think that's one of the things that helped me a lot in the previous season.
DF: It's not often that bright prospects like yourself who are touted for greatness from a young age go on to succeed at senior level. That pressure you were under, would you say it contributed to your will to succeed?
TM: Honestly, pressure is a privilege…
DF: Why do you say that?
TM: Because they usually say that heavy is the head that carries the crown. So, the more you work hard, the more you will face challenges and have pressure to perform in each and every game. Of course, people were saying I'm gonna be the future, so I had that in mind and I wanted that to become a reality and not only words. It became a reality and that's what I did.
DF: Indeed, it became a reality, as you managed to win two of the biggest prizes in local football, Young Player of the Season and Footballer of the Season. Looking back, was this something you envisioned for yourself?
TM: Honestly? I wanted to achieve it one day, but you know what prayer does, so it came earlier than expected and, of course, it is (because of) the work that I am doing.
DF: Two of your teammates, Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile, have debunked the myth that existed with players who win Footballer of the Season by continuing to perform exceptionally well even after winning the prize. How much does this inspire you to do the same?
TM: For me, the target is to be better than I was last season, and how so? To win trophies because we have six trophies (to play for) this season. Bayern (Munich) once did it, to win all the trophies in the season, so why not us?
DF: Do you think playing for the Chloorkop-based side, a team that prides itself on dominance, pushes you to work even harder as an individual due to the demands that exist there?
TM: My friend, we have to keep winning and winning and winning. That is the only way! We need trophies to breathe – that's all we need.
DF: Few people have been as supportive of your endeavours as your head coach, Rhulani Mokwena. How much does having a figure like that help you to do better every day?
TM: You know what happens when someone believes in you? Of course, your confidence just goes up and also, he is our inspiration because of the way that he works so hard for our team. We don't want to let him down. When a club signs a player, the player plays for the coach and not for the club, because if a player doesn't feel appreciated by the coach, he won't perform. But if a player feels appreciated by the coach and everyone at the club, he will perform. So, I think that is what he does to everyone at the club. They all feel appreciated by coach Rhulani and he improves each and every one.
DF: Do you feel like you have now become the target of other players as we have seen two possible career-ending tackles on you by opposition players in these early stages of the season?
TM: No, I don't think so. I don't know what they were thinking. (Vusumzi) Mncube apologized to me, he sent me a text on Instagram.
DF: How do you then better the performances of last season?
TM: What I can and have improved a lot is my mentality. Having a winning mentality. It's only about winning now, nothing else. I hate losing! It's about winning and helping the team to win. The pressure of being at Mamelodi Sundowns is that you must win and it's very hard to impress our supporters because even the three points are not enough if you don't perform well. So, you are expected to win but still play well. Our supporters are not easy to impress. I'm working hard on myself to improve what I need to improve and I think it will show on the field.
DF: Do you think you are capable of doing what Teko Modise did in winning the Footballer of the Season accolade twice?
TM: Honestly, I'm not in control of that. What I can control is my performances. So, that one I can't control, but what I do on the field is up to me.
DF: A lot of people feel that despite you winning the league quite comfortably, there was a slight regression in the club's output because there was only one trophy won in comparison to the three won the season before…
TM: We have six trophies to win, and we are competing to win all of these.
TEBOHO MOKOENA FACT FILE
Date of birth: 24 January 1997
Place of birth: Bethlehem, Free State
Nickname: Tebza
Position: Midfielder
Jersey number: 4
Club: Mamelodi Sundowns
Previous clubs: Juventus FC (amateur), Free State Stars juniors, Harmony Sports Academy, SuperSport United
Honours: 2016/17 Nedbank Cup winner, 2017 CAF Confederation Cup runner-up, 2017/18 MTN8 winner, 2019/20 MTN8 winner (all with SuperSport), 2020/21 2022/23 League winner, 2021/22 Nedbank Cup winner, 2021/22 MTN8 (all with Sundowns)
