Eager to give it one more go

‘Yeye’ wants a Bafana call-up

VETERAN SuperSport United midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane has strongly dismissed suggestions that he is too old to play for Bafana Bafana again.

The 35-year-old Letsholonyane‚ who is preparing for his 14th professional season with United under new coach Eric Tinkler‚ says he never retired from international football and will jump at another opportunity to represent his country.

“If I get a call from national coach Stuart Baxter‚ I will definitely respond to it because I never said I have retired from international football‚” he said.

“I know that I am 35 years old now but I still want to compete at the highest level and win things for as long as I am playing in the PSL.”

Letsholonyane played the last of his 54 Bafana matches against Ghana in the 2015 African Nations Cup.

“Yeye”‚ as he is affectionately known‚ has just come out of a satisfactory 2016-2017 domestic season and he was a key player for United.

He featured in 27 league matches‚ made five assists and scored three goals.

Bafana coach Baxter has publicly said the door is not completely closed on any players with a South African passport‚ as long as they are performing well at their clubs.

Letsholonyane attributed his longevity to the passion he has for the sport‚ training well and looking after himself both on and off the field.

“It is more about passion‚ hunger and knowing what you want as a person both on and off the field.

“When I first turned professional‚ I was about 24 years old and it was my dream to achieve as many things as possible at the highest level. “Nothing has changed. “When I started at Cosmos I did not win anything.

“At Chiefs I fought every season to win trophies.

“Now I am with SuperSport United and I contributed to the team winning silverware last season.”

Letsholonyane said he is inspired by players like former Bafana strikers Mabhuti Khenyeza‚ who is also 35‚ and Siyabonga Nomvethe‚ who turns 40 in December.

Khenyeza and Nomvethe are expected to be part of the AmaZulu squad when the club returns to the PSL next season.

“It is inspiring to see players like Mabhuti (Khanyeza) and Siya (Nomvethe) who continue to play professional football despite their age.

“Their stories have taught me about a lot of things such as if you are approaching 40 years old and you do your job properly‚ you will be rewarded.

“I know people will always have something to say but irrespective of people’s opinions‚ you continue to push and your team will reward you with a contract.”

Some of the oldest players to don a Bafana Bafana shirt are: John “Shoes” Moshoeu (39) Andre Arendse (37) Hans Vonk (35) Neil Tovey (35) Doctor Khumalo (34) Edries Burton (34). — DDC