Mosimane makes another discovery with Mkhulise

Skilful forward Sphelele Mkhulise is the next rough diamond Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has taken on to polish and improve‚ and turn into a top-class competitor.

The list of players Mosimane has turned from raw talent into refined performer as Mamelodi

Sundowns coach — all of them Premier Soccer League player of the season nominees or winners

— includes Khama Billiat‚ Bongani Zungu‚ Percy Tau and Keagan Dolly.

Mkhulise provided a third component to the Uruguayan front two of Gaston Sirino and Mauricio Affonso‚ and scored the third goal‚ as Sundowns got their Caf Champions League campaign off to a clinical 3-0 win against Angolan club Petro de Luanda on Saturday night.

Mosimane spoke of the 23year-old Downs youth product from Pietermaritzburg as following in the footsteps of the Taus and Zungus.

“He reminds me of how Percy came up‚” Mosimane said.

“Probably I would have kept Percy a bit longer. Even with Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly I said: ‘One more year’ [before their moves to Europe].

“Why? Because I’m conservative. I just want more surety.

“But also you’ve got to understand‚ last year he was competing with Lebo Maboe‚ who was top scorer‚ and Gaston and ‘Mshishi’ [Zwane] were there‚” Mosimane said.

“Good player. He can lose the ball a bit sometimes. He’s happy. You can see he’s young‚ fearless and enjoys himself.

“So you’ve got to let that go. And also if you’re going to tell him he’s losing the ball a lot‚ then you’re putting him in a cage again.”