Mokotjo hoping for long career with Bafana Bafana
MIDFIELDER Kamohelo Mokotjo is looking forward to a long career with Bafana Bafana after his citizenship saga was resolved late last week.
The 26-year-old did not immediately reapply for his South African citizenship when he took up one with the Netherlands last year‚ making him ineligible to play for Bafana.
But he retained his South African citizenship on Friday after reapplying‚ and was then able to play in the 3-1 win over Guinea-Bissau at the weekend.
Now that the dust has settled‚ Mokotjo said it was time to move on and focus on what he did best‚ which was dominating play in the centre of the park.
“The outcome [of reapplying] was positive‚ so I can’t complain‚” Mokotjo said after playing his seventh match for Bafana.
“For my personal game‚ I kept it clean and neat [against Guinea-Bissau]. I played a lot of positive passes and that’s more my game – I’m about efficiency and results.
“I’m not a show-boater. I gave a clear picture of the type of player I am and that won’t change going forward.”
The FC Twente midfielder hopes the national team can build on their performances from the friendlies to do well in next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
“We have a vision we are working towards and that’s qualifying for the [2019 African] Nations Cup and the World Cup.
“For me‚ it is the beginning‚” he said.
Mokotjo‚ who was born in the Free State‚ took up Dutch citizenship to make it possible to move to a bigger league without needing a certain number of national caps.
Laws in the Netherlands require new citizens to renounce their past citizenship‚ resulting in Mokotjo needing to reapply once he received a call-up to the latest Bafana squad.
“It’s a sacrifice I had to make‚ because I have a club career – that’s one [point]‚” he explained. “I’m 26 and not a youngster any more – that’s two.
“I have a family to provide for and there comes a time where you have to put yourself first and I did that‚ but at the end of the day I can still play for my country again,” Mokotjo said.