A Cameroonian goalkeeper trainer who has previously worked with Jackson Mabokgwane has discussed what he thinks could be the reason for the goalkeeper's lack of game-time at Orlando Pirates this season.
The CAF B licence holder, Ernest Mabouka worked with Mabokgwane during the goalkeeper's time with Mpumalanga Black Aces.
The goalkeeper trainer believes that Mabokgwane should be playing regularly. The 30-year-old is yet to get a chance to play at the Soweto giants this season as Siyabonga Mpontshane appears to have made the number one goalkeeper's jersey his own, after the club began the season with Wayne Sandilands in Milutin Sredojevic's team.
"I'll tell you something that people don't know Jackson and I'm the only one that when I took him from Wits to Black Aces I helped him to improve. People still remember that Pirates played two games against Wits and Jackson conceded eight goals in two games," said Mabouka.
At Pirates, this season Mabokgwane and fellow goalkeepers are working under Andrew Sparkes who is Swansea City's former Head of Academy Goalkeeping.
"Jackson trained with me on a Wednesday and we had a game against Pirates on a Saturday and we beat Pirates 1-0. Jackson was the Man of the Match. After he signed with Black Aces I told him that I would make him play in the national team. I sent him a message at 2 o'clock on a certain morning when South Africa was going to play against Senegal. I mentioned in the message, 'Jackson if South Africa loses against Senegal then forget about Ernest.' I told him that it was going to be a draw and that he was going to play well," added Mabouka.
Bucs' next match will be on September 15 against SuperSport United at the Orlando Stadium.
"I have just remembered something now that since I left South Africa... Jackson has never played 20 games. When I worked with him I made him play something like 27 games from the first season. Why Jackson cannot play seven games at Pirates? People don't know how to make him believe that he is good," concluded the Cameroonian.
Mabouka is currently the goalkeeper coach at Bediyah Club in Oman. His team defeated Club Almdibi 7-1 in their first game of the season.
