Former Bafana Bafana and Free State Stars defender Katlego Mashego has shared a tale of how former coach Steve Komphela made him follow Siphiwe Tshabalala everywhere at the game, hypothetically, "even to the toilet".
Mashego had a seven-year stay at the now defunct Ea Lla Koto after he was signed from then third-tier side Baroka FC in 2011, following their exploits in the Nedbank Cup, where they stunned Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
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The energetic full-back had arguably his best playing days under former coach Steve Komphela at Stars, where he was frequently called up to the Bafana Bafana squad. Mashego, looking back at his career, says Komphela was the most tactical coach he had played under and told a story of how the coach insisted on man-marking former Chiefs winger Siphiwe Tshabalala. He was given the responsibility of following him everywhere.
"We were playing in Polokwane against Kaizer Chiefs. I was playing right-back. They said I should follow Siphiwe Tshabalala wherever he goes," Mashego said on TK Solutions TV YouTube Channel.
"He should not receive the ball. They have to bypass him. So, because he was playing left-wing, sometimes he will cross the lines and as a right-back I can't cross the lines.
"I only did it once that he (Tshabalala) crossed the line and I didn't follow him. Steve called me and said: 'I told you to stick to Tshabalala'," he said.
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"'Wherever he goes, follow him. If he goes to the bench to talk to the coach, drinking water, tell him to give you too. If he drinks energy drink, let him give you to drink (as well). If he decides to go to the toilet, you should go with him, when he sits on the toilet, (also) sit and carry the toilet paper'.
"I followed him the whole match, he got mad and told me 'Hey man give me a chance'. I told him, 'Hey man, I don't have time to give you a chance. You're doing your job and I'm doing mine. You must find a way to run away from me but I'm coming after you'. We won the game 1-0," he revealed.
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