Thulani Mkosi emerged as one of the standout players in this year’s Varsity Football tournament and has earned himself a nomination for the Player of the Tournament award.
Mkosi's form has been vital in helping UWC secure top spot on the log, and with it, a home semifinal. He has picked up numerous Man of the Match awards but his eye is firmly on grabbing the big one.
"I would be lying if I said I do not care about the Player of the Tournament award. It would be such a massive achievement for me but just being nominated is such a great feeling.
"This nomination shows that I must have done something right to be recognised by the other Universities and it is really humbling," Mkosi said.
While his fellow nominees have already heard of interest from professional clubs, Mkosi is still hopeful he can catch someone's eye and earn a professional contract.
UWC were just one performance away from being the only unbeaten side in the competition but they suffered a defeat in their final round-robin match, which Mkosi believes has made them hungrier for success.
"We have to pick ourselves up after that loss but I think it came at the perfect time because it showed us that we can certainly be beaten. However, it [the loss] has made us hungrier for success and I believe we are mentally ready for the challenge of a semifinal.
"I think we got too complacent before that final match and it gave us a massive wake-up call. But we know what we need to do and we know we have the backing of everyone at campus. There is such an amazing vibe and everyone here [at UWC] wants us to bring the trophy here," he added.
UWC will host Wits in the second semifinal at 18.00 on Thursday evening. The sides met in the opening round of the competition and played out to a goalless draw on that occasion.
