Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou reserved special praise for teenage captain Mbekezeli Mbokazi following his standout performance in the Buccaneers’ 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final first leg.
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Mbokazi, just 19 years old, wore the captain’s armband in what was a tense battle against the reigning Betway Premiership champions at Orlando Stadium, and his composure on the big stage did not go unnoticed by his coach.
Ouaddou, though careful not to overpraise the youngster too soon, admitted that Mbokazi’s maturity and quality were of a standard comparable with some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“Let me be very honest. I have to be careful because when you congratulate somebody quickly, I’m afraid that he stops working,” Ouaddou explained after the match.
“But I have to say it as well because as a coach we always make reproaches to the players.
“But when people do good things, it’s good for the mental, it’s good for the self-esteem to say that he did well. This guy, if he continues to work, if he continues to be professional, if he takes care about his lifestyle, everything, I think he has a great future. Because what I have seen again today, it’s just unbelievable.
“It’s performance for big clubs in Europe. And we’re happy to have him all over the planet, a big club in Africa. He’s fantastic. He has to keep working. This is the problem.”
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