Former Orlando Pirates captain Happy Jele has revealed who he thinks is likely to follow in his footsteps at the club.
Jele is currently unattached after leaving Pirates at the end of last season, following the expiry of his contract. The 35-year old was offered a non-playing role after 16 years of services at the Buccaneers but he preferred to continue playing, a position he was told is not available for him as a player.
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However, Jele has already started giving back to football by guiding youngsters off the pitch and has revealed a role he played in the promotion of the Sea Robbers defender Thabiso Sesane.
Sesane was promoted officially from the Pirates academy in 2020 and showed promise in his appearances in the 2020/21 season, although he only got to make his first start in April 2021.
The Buccaneers development product got a Man of the Match award in his first start for the senior side after starring in central defence in a 2-0 win over Maritzburg United in April last year and went on to make eight appearances in total.
However, Sesane was loaned out to Jomo Cosmos, who were campaigning in the National First Division in the 2021/22 season and following their relegation to the ABC Motsepe League, the 22-year old was loaned out again to All Stars in the second tier.
Jele says he spotted Sesane five years ago playing for the reserve side and immediately offered to become his mentor.
"Thabiso Sesane, he's still with Pirates, they've loaned him, he's talented and I also mentor this boy," Jele said on Marawa Sports Worldwide.
"I knew this boy since 2017 or 2018, I saw him on MDC playing a game, almost similar like me, the style of play that he plays.
"You know when you fall in love with someone, on the first day and I fell in love with this boy and I said, boy, 'Come here, can I please know you better?" he revealed.
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"And go to your family? I just want to advise you in terms of football, you can call me anytime, any day, I'll try help if I can."
The former long-time Pirates skipper also revealed that he made efforts to meet Sesane's family, as he reminds him of himself.
"I know the family as well, we're close, they call me when the boy is getting into trouble and we speak almost every day with that boy," he went on.
"I've seen something great in him and he's very disciplined, almost similar like me, the type of a guy and even on the field of play," he added.
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