After Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou showed a big backing for Mbekezeli Mbokazi to be one of the leaders at age 19, former Kaizer Chiefs captain Tefu Mashamaite has hinted how to know if he's ready.
Ouaddou has already suggested that Mbokazi "will be one of the main men for us this season" after he surprisingly handed him the captain's armband in pre-season friendlies, in the second-half against Cypriot champions Pafos and also against Granada.
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There is a vacancy in the captaincy role at the Buccaneers ahead of the new season, after long-serving skipper Innocent Maela officially left the club during the off-season.
The likes of Tapelo Xoki and Nkosinathi Sibisi previously captained Ezimnyama, with Maela no longer a regular in the last few seasons but Ouaddou appears to back Mbokazi to lead the Soweto giants.
Mashamaite, who was handed the captain's armband in his early 20s at former club Bidvest Wits, has reflected on what it took for him to lead experienced players at such a young age.
"One thing I've realized about football is that you can never say 'I'm really ready' you only get ready when you're thrown in at the deep end, that's when you know you're ready. For me it was a situation like that," Mashamaite said on Jabu Mahlangu Diski Shandis YouTube Channel.
"There were experienced players, both locally and internationally (at Bidvest Wits), but I remember Roger (De Sa) the first day he was like, 'You know what, at the age of 22, 23, you're no longer a youngster, you're a senior player. I consider you a senior player. You have my back up'.
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"I'm forever grateful to Roger for having so much belief in me, because it helped me to grow in confidence. I remember around 2009 (Sibusiso Mahlangu) got injured and he threw the armband at me and I just kept on going from there," the former Amakhosi skipper added.
Mashamaite became the first captain to win the Nedbank Cup with Wits since 1978 when they lifted the trophy in 2010 and went to also have a successful captaincy role at Chiefs, where he won two league titles and a number of cup competitions.
