A former Kaizer Chiefs player who is now a coach has revealed what he was once told by a match referee about current Orlando Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari and Makhehleni Makhaula of AmaZulu.
Before turning professional with Bidvest Wits and Free State Stars respectively in 2014, Motshwari and Makhaula played together at Gauteng-based amateur club Trabzon under the tutelage of former Chiefs midfielder Sipho Khuse.
Read: Mngomeni Suggests A New Coach For Pirates
Speaking to the Siya crew, Khuse recalls how a match referee in the ABC Motsepe League predicted a bright future for Motshwari and Makhaula due to their influence in the team.
"I remember when we recruited Ben Motshwari to play for our team at Trabzon FC, we were in second season in the Vodacom (ABC Motsepe) League. He arrived not long after we had also recruited Makhehleni Makhaula who is now playing for AmaZulu. The boys showed from there already that they were up to something and that they would go far in their careers. I remember that season we were fighting against relegation, and we had teams like Yebo Yes which was the development of Pirates, and we didn't like to lose against them. We would do everything to beat them and if we failed on that mission, we would make sure that we got a draw at least. I remember that when we played for a point, I would play Motshwari and Makhaula as centre-backs alongside each other and the mission would be accomplished. I would do that most of the time when we played away, and when we played at home I would play them as central midfielders and we would get the three points at home. They were two hardworking players and gave us what we needed in any of the positions we played them," said Khuse.
Read: SAFPU Clamp Down On 'Defaulting' Club
"Now, here is the interesting story that I will never forget when we played our final game of the season and we had already survived relegation. We were playing in Tembisa against Atlie FC in Makhulong and I was shocked at what I was told by a match official. It was a tough game, and the two boys were playing as centre-backs, and we were 2-0 down at half time. In the dressing room, Ben and Makhaula raised their hands, and I gave them the platform to say what they wanted to say. Makhaula asked that we change the formation and asked to push forward in the second half to play as a striker and that Ben should play in midfield. I couldn't deprive them of that opportunity as that was our last game of the season anyway. In the opening five minutes of the second half, Ben scored and in the 75th minute of the game Makhaula scored, and we were then level at 2-2 with the opponents. But in the end we lost 3-2 but I wasn't happy that the referee ended the game before the optional time ended. To my surprise, the referee told me to stop complaining about the time and advised me to take Ben and Makhaula to a different league away from the Vodacom. I was shocked to hear a referee giving me such advice. He was calling them by their numbers and said, 'Bra Sipho, don't bother about the time and anything else right now and just take those two players to a top league because they are no longer needed here and are too good.' The referee made it clear to me that I was wasting the two players' time and what he said opened my eyes and as they say the rest is history," he added.
Open a tab account, it's easy and start betting on local and international soccer now!
Check out some of the stars in Orlando Pirates' strong squad for the 2021/22 season:
