Mamelodi Sundowns' decision to sell feeder team M-Tigers' third-tier status may not be a bad decision, judging from comments by their academy graduate Mahlatse Makudubela.
At a Business of Football Network forum, Sundowns Sporting Director Flemming Berg reiterated that they have a different approach in terms of the potential of a feeder team and sold M-Tigers because it doesn't align with their vision anymore.
"If you are not good enough, at the age 17, 18, 19, or 20 years old to play in our first team then you will never be. For us to have a reserve team in the third division, with players who are 24, 25 and 26 makes absolutely no sense," Berg said.
"Our reserve team is now the Diski [Challenge] team, who have gone from an average age of 20, two years ago, to now having an average age of 18.2," the Dane reasoned.
READ: Folz Opens Up On Surprising Downs Move
Another team that used to produce incredible talent for the Brazilians first team and other clubs in the PSL was North West-based ALS Puk Tawana.
Tawana produced players such Doctor Mampuru, Jabulani Shongwe, Keagan Dolly, Buhle Mkwanazi, Percy Tau, Samuel Julies, Siyanda Xulu and Makudubela, among others, who were also at some stage alternating playing for M-Tigers, as the two clubs were owned by Masandawana as a conveyor belt of youngsters into the first team.
However, most of the players from these feeder teams who could not make it at Sundowns, ended up not having longer careers in the PSL, the likes of Lucky Nguzana, Mampuru, Shongwe, Julies.
Read: Former Sundowns Winger Surfaces At Pirates
According to Makudubela, who came through the ranks at Tawana, being moved from the Sundowns' main reserve team to a feeder club or being deemed not good enough for the first team was a bitter pill to swallow.
"I can't really point out the problem why they didn't live up to expectations. I'd say it's the captivity of the negativity, because in a professional setup, when we're at Sundowns [reserves], you see the first team, the guys like Teko Modise, you look at them and say 'I want to be like them'," Makudubela who recently parted ways with Young Africans, said on Junior Khanye Khohlwa Podcast.
"It's not a secret, the paycheques that are coming out of Sundowns, you look at it and say one day I want to be earning that much and driving that car.
"You make it in the professional setup. Then when you move away from Sundowns, psychologically, mentally and physically, you feel like you're downgrading. The society starts looking down on you. If you're not strong, it kills you," 'Skudu' added.
Themba Zwane and most recently Cassius Mailula were also helped to develop further by M-Tigers.
