Yeye urges players to respect the job

Veteran midfielder Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane has urged players in the top flight and in the lower tier to stick to their indoor training programmes during the 21-day coronavirus lockdown to stay fit and healthy.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) and GladAfrica Championship players have been training on their own since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the state of disaster last week and will continue to do so in the 21 days of the national lockdown.

Issues of ill-discipline in the PSL are well documented with coaches regularly dealing with alcohol abuse and other off-field problems‚ a reality that led Letsholonyane to appeal to players to take responsibility during the lockdown.

“We all know this is not a normal situation we are in at the moment‚ so I’m expecting players to take full responsibility and look after themselves.

“They must stay fit and be ready to return to action when it is decided the league is going to resume‚” said the 37-year-old former Bafana playmaker.

“Players must also eat and drink things that will supplement their bodies after their workout sessions. It’s time to show maturity from both the experienced and younger players; everyone must grow up and respect their jobs.

“Being fit helps athletes avoid unnecessary injuries. Following the programme from the club will help players stay in shape so by the time we start we can focus more on tactics and touching the ball in friendlies.”

Letsholonyane said being fit and healthy is going to be beneficial when the season resumes as they are not going to have enough time to prepare as they usually do during preseason.

“The difference between now and preseason is that we don’t know when the league is going to resume.”