Mashamaite dismisses ‘homesick’ perceptions
DEFENDER HAPPY TO REUNITE WITH BAXTER AT SUPERSPORT
SUPERSPORT United’s new signing Tefu Mashamaite has dismissed any perceptions that his abrupt return overseas had to do with homesickness.
The 31-year-old has for the past year been playing for BK Hacken in Sweden’s topflight, but was yesterday unveiled as a SuperSport United player on a two-year deal.
The surprise return to the Absa Premiership for the former Kaizer Chiefs captain comes after Hacken sporting director Sonny Karlsson recently told the Swedish media that the player’s comeback to South Africa was because he had failed to settle in Sweden and was homesick.
“Well, I’m 31 and my journey right now is not about staying overseas or wherever for long to realise certain expectations but it is about what is in front of me,” Mashamaite said during his unveiling at United’s headquarters in Randburg yesterday.
“The SuperSport opportunity came and I had to make a decision. It was not about homesickness and it was just about what’s in front of me [career opportunities]. My stay in Sweden was short, but it was a great experience. We won the Swedish Cup and that’s the first in the history of Hacken. To come back with that bit of an achievement is a confidence-booster for me and I feel like I went there and contributed something,” he said.
SuperSport coach Stuart Baxter is delighted to reunite with Mashamaite, but warned the defender that having worked together at Chiefs doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed a place in the team.
“The positive of having worked with them [former Chiefs players at SuperSport] is that they know what I want. On the other hand, you’ve got to get past the familiarity,” Baxter said. “People may be thinking I’ve got my old coach back and he liked me. You’ve got to get past that and we don’t want people walking into a comfort zone. We want them walking into a new challenge with new goals and ambitions.”
The club’s chief executive Stan Matthews said: “It wasn’t a hundred percent ideal for us to be honest, because we’ve brought in Mario [Booysen] and Morgan [Gould], plus we’ve got one of the finest young central defenders in the country in our opinion in Denwin Farmer.”
Added Matthews: “The opportunity to bring in a player with the pedigree of Mashamaite was not really a problem for us. He’s got fantastic experience to share with Denwin and the other players at the back, which I think is going to be fantastic for them. He’s got great leadership qualities.”
“I’m 31 and my journey right now is not about staying overseas