‘I should score more’
Super Sport United midfielder Sipho Mbule announced his arrival in the professional ranks with a rocket shot that flew past TP Mazembe goalkeeper Ley Matampi in the first leg of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup final. A lot was expected from the youngster since then, but it is fair to say his journey to the top has been a rollercoaster ride. But last season he finally broke through and started 35 matches in all competitions. He speaks to KICK OFF’s Zola Doda about his progress and what lies ahead.
KICK OFF: Sipho, thanks a lot for taking the time to talk to us. How is life these days? Sipho Mbule:
Life is … how can I explain it? We are trying to survive in these challenging times despite all the problems we are experiencing with playing matches without supporters at the venues. But we are trying. I miss supporters a lot because it’s very unusual to play matches without them, we don’t enjoy the matches the same way we did when they were around. Sometimes when you are trailing 1-0 you need the fans to cheer you up so that you can claw your way back into the match. But it’s different now because we don’t have that. Whenever we are down, we have to cheer ourselves up, which is not easy thing to do compared to when fans were around. Their presence is missed.
We hear you …
Even when we score a goal, we just run up to the bench because there is no one else around to celebrate with. Outside football we don’t go out as much as we did before. We are indoors most of the time like most people, and whenever I have to go to the store, I have to put on my mask like everybody else.
On the field, SuperSport United has had a fairly good start, reaching the semifinals of the MTN8 and winning five of the first eight league matches …
“MY STYLE HASN’T CHANGED, I’M STILL THE SAME PLAYER I WAS, BUT MUCH WISER.”
I started the season very late compared to the rest of my teammates because I was out with a knee injury. The most frustrating or difficult thing for me, I can say, was watching the team getting knocked out of the MTN8 semifinal knowing that there was nothing I could do to help. Luck was also not on our side. But I’ve been playing since my return and it’s just a matter of time because I can say I’m back to my full fitness. The team is also on the right track because if you look at the log table, if we win a few matches we can find ourselves at the top of the log
“HE IS ALWAYS TELLING US,‘WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT, WE COULD HAVE ACHIEVED THAT’.”
This is your fourth season with SuperSport. Are you happy with the progress that you have made?
Slowly but surely, I’m becoming a veteran of the team [laughing]. But seriously speaking, with every season that passes, I understand the game better than before and I know the difference between defence and attack. In my first season, I wasn’t playing that much, I used to come on as a substitute. The second season I started playing more and more matches. Last season I played almost every match and my confidence just grew from there thanks to the lessons I’ve learned from coach Kaitano [ Tembo]. But my style hasn’t changed, I’m still the same player I was, but much wiser.
Last season you started 28 league games, four in the MTN8, two in the Telkom Knockout and one in the Nedbank Cup. Overall, before the beginning of this season, you had played 51 matches in all competitions.
Ja, that was my best season so far and hopefully I will continue. If you are playing and the team is doing well it means you have the right players inside the pitch. I played all these matches because I was contributing to the team, attacking and defending for the team. I was happy overall but there is always room for improvement. I need to create and score more goals. I need get myself a lot more forward.
When you joined SuperSport, what was your perception of professional football?
Back then I just wanted to play football and enjoy myself. When you get into professional football then you realise it’s not just about you enjoying yourself, it’s about the people who are watching, and love the game and support you all the time. Last season we should have competed more for the league title, but we lost and drew matches we should have won, and those are some of the lessons I take with me.
Earlier this year, you and Tebogo Mokoena signed new three-and-a-half year contract extensions. CEO Stan Matthews said any club that wants to sign you must come with a big cheque. Surely, he thinks very highly of you.
I’m happy at SuperSport and the environment I’m in. Stan has been very supportive behind the scenes and talking to not just me but all the players. He is always telling us, ‘we could have done that, we could have achieved that’. We have a great understanding.
Last season’s captain Dean Furman left for England while Aubrey Modiba joined Mamelodi Sundowns – what impact did that have on the team?
It made a huge difference, but on the other hand it also gives other players a chance to step up to the plate and take responsibility. There are players who were
not playing last season, those players will get a chance. Dean is the best captain I’ve ever had. He is such a great guy, he is friendly, he talks to everyone, he pushed everyone to work hard and he had everything that you needed from a captain. We made fun of him because he was the only one playing wearing an underwear and not tights [laughing]. But we miss Dean a lot. Tebogo is playing the role Dean used to play. And Aubrey, was another great teammate and a funny guy in our dressing them. We do miss them.
What is it like working with someone like Kaitano Tembo?
Working with Kaitano is great, he understands that sometimes you will make mistakes on the field and it’s part of the game. I talk a lot to him and he is adding a lot of value to my game.
In the last game of 2019 against Chippa United, you made a mistake which almost resulted in a goal and were replaced at halftime. What lessons have you learned from that?
I remember that game. I made a mistake and Chippa almost scored from my mistake and the coach told me that I shouldn’t do it again. I understood what he was saying. This season we want to compete for everyone trophy – whether it’s league and Nedbank Cup. We are aware that teams like Sundowns have improved their squads and it’s always nice to have that rivalry against them and to play the Tshwane Derby.
Last year you were supposed to feature at the Olympics in Tokyo. How disappointed were you when the Olympics were postponed?
I’m ready for the Olympics and if I do well at SuperSport, it will easier for me to take my form to the national team. I have to play as many games as I can this season and then Olympics will come after.
Is there anything you want to achieve in your career?
I want to win as many trophies as I can with SuperSport and hopefully get a chance to go overseas. The 2022 World Cup is also under two years away and it’s every player’s dream to go there.
“I’M READY FOR THE OLYMPICS.”