Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mothobi Mvala has experienced highs and lows ever since joining the Chloorkop outfit from Highlands Park a few years ago.
Despite the criticism he received when Sundowns were knocked out of last season's Caf Champions League semi-finals, the versatile star believes it came at a crucial point in his career and discusses his transformation from a striker, to a midfielder and now a defender.
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“I think it came at the right time whereas I was at an age where I understand that these things they happen in football. People always talk and obviously we live in a free country where everyone can say anything that they want,” Mvala told Marawa Sports Worldwide.
The now-statuesque centre-back, a mainstay for Bafana Bafana at AFCON earlier this year, revealed he wasn't fazed by the naysayers. Instead, he drew strength from his team's support, led by coach Rulani Mokwena and senior players.
“All these things they didn’t bother me that much as long as the team welcomed me well and the coach told me what they want and don’t want, that was important to me and getting the advise from the senior players and I was focusing on myself and not on social media.
“I’m not too much on social media, the support I got from my family, my mom that is what supported me,” Mvala continued.
Joining Sundowns also saw Mvala undergo a positional shift, transitioning from a holding midfielder to a central defender. While not entirely new, the adjustment included embracing the modern defender's role – starting play from the back.
“For me, playing the centre-back it was not new for me. Actually, when I started in school, I used to score like a lot of goals so I played as a striker when we played during break times and bet R5 and so maybe if I placed a bet and I’ll play at the back because I didn’t want to lose my money,” Mvala said.
“But if it’s not my money (that have bet) than I’ll play up front, so I always had that thing in me and when the coaches spoke to me, I think we had a crisis first at the back, we had a lot of injuries and didn’t have a centre-back.
“Then, they said no you are going to play centre-back, it was not new for me. What was different was that the football is evolving now, centre-backs are becoming playmakers now and have to start the build-up at the back. That was different,” he added.
Mvala has an opportunity to set things right in the semi-finals this time, after the Brazilians squeezed into the last four of the Champions League thanks to beating Yanga SC on penalties on Friday night.
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