Mashaba talks of Sekola’s rise

THE Sandton Convention Centre, which is the venue for the Premier Soccer League awards on Sunday, will not be in short supply of men who feel they “deserve” some credit for Moeketsi Sekola’s meteoric rise.

Yesterday, Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba said he would not be one of them, but could not resist reminding everyone of his role in nudging this season’s Golden Boot award winner in the right direction.

Mashaba has included Sekola in his 22man squad for the upcoming Cosafa Cup in the North West, and the Free State Stars’ striker is likely to lead the attack against Botswana in the quarterfinals on May 24.

“It is surprising that today everyone is talking big about Sekola,” Mashaba said.

“We, at the national team, called him up before he even scored a goal [Sekola finished the season with 14 strikes].

“And now people are not talking when we select him because they used to criticise him, saying he can’t play and he keeps kicking the grass.”

Sekola, 26, made his Bafana debut in November against Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Durban, and was again given a run four days later away to Nigeria.

Mashaba said his technical team were not looking for praise now that the player was becoming a household name.

“We are not looking for accolades,” the coach said. “But people must know that we are not sitting here looking one way in terms of our selection. We are looking all over for players and widening our vision.”

Mashaba further argued that Sekola’s 14 goals did not necessarily mean striker Phumelele Bhengu, who plays for Thanda Royal Zulu in the National First Division and scored six more, was a better player.

“We should be careful of saying a player in the NFD who scored 10 goals is better than a player in the PSL with eight.

“The pressure is different in the different levels,” said Mashaba, who also roped in Bhengu to his squad and said he hoped the pair would be a handful for Botswana.

Despite the opposition sticking with tried and tested players, Mashaba was left with no choice but to ignore the usual suspects.

But the coach said he was determined to win the Cosafa Cup.

The tournament is played outside the Fifa calendar, meaning clubs are not obliged to release players.