I can’t disappoint Downs, Madisha

HAVING ENDURED plenty of disappointments in his young career, it’s poetic that Motjeka Madisha is driven to not disappoint the people who helped him get to this level.

Madisha had a successful career with the junior national teams, winning the Under-20 Cosafa Cup in 2013 before going on to play at the African Youth Championships in Senegal. He later captained Amajita to the Commonwealth Cup triumph in Russia.

But he struggled to go further. He failed to make the cut for the Olympics while Mamelodi Sundowns sent him on loan to Highlands Park in the NFD.

“It’s not easy for youngsters to make it in a big team like Sundowns with quality players and the demand to win everything on offer,” Madisha said. “It takes special players to be in a special team like this. I think it’s a huge success for me to be in the first team now, after I started with their development side in 2012.”

Sundowns recalled Madisha after he helped the Lions of the North gain promotion. The Brazilians even registered the 21-year-old centreback in their CAF Champions League squad, a decision that assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena must have played a big role in.

“It’s a good thing to have coaches who believe in you,” Madisha said. “I have been working with coach Rhulani since development. It would be a disgrace for me to let him down.”

The exploits of Keagan Dolly and Percy Tau, who were in the Brazilians’ development set-up, have changed that image that Donws is where young talent goes to die.

Dolly left Sundowns’ for Ajax Cape Town before coming back. Tau was sent on loan to Witbank Spurs before Sundowns recalled him.

Coach Pitso Mosimane gave them a chance and they made the most of it, something that Madisha wants to also do when he gets his chance.

“I knew what I needed to do to return and make a name for myself here.”

If Sundowns win the CAF Champions League, Madisha will have his name mentioned as part of a “great Sundowns” team that became African champions.

But he would have been “gifted” that medal because he only played against Enyimba once the side had qualified for the semi-finals.

Tomorrow the Brazilians will be in the MTN8 final against Wits in Nelspruit. Being that close to success will push Madisha to make true his father’s words.

“My father (Bethuel Madisha) used to tell me that I can be a greater player than he was,” Madisha said. “He never played professionally ... but people speak highly of him. Having a father like that, gave me the spirit to keep going and working hard.

“I don’t want to disappoint him.”