Mokeke: Management had their reasons

Thato Mokeke and SuperSport United seemed like the perfect match – after all, the left-footed player is the club’s development product. However, it was at Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town City that he managed to stamp his foot and get a good run of games. Perhaps there’s something about the Mother City that made the 28-year-old flourish the way he did at the two clubs. After Matsatsantsa a Pitori decided against taking up the option on his contract, following its expiry in June, there was talk he would move back to the Citizens, this time on a permanent basis, but he landed up at Chippa United after a week’s trial. In this interview, Mokeke tells Soccer Laduma’s Beaver Nazo about the club’s struggles this season and why it never worked out at SuperSport.

Beaver Nazo: Thato, you joined Chippa United shortly after the beginning of this season. How did you end up at the club?

Thato Mokeke: Well, I cannot tell you, but my agent (George Comitis) is the one who told me that I must get ready to jet to Port Elizabeth for a week’s trial at Chippa. I never bothered to ask about details and stuff because I knew that we were on the lookout for a new club. When I got here, everything was normal and what made it easy for me was the warm reception I got from everyone at the club. Everyone was very welcoming. I signed a contract after five days. I signed one -year contract with an option for renewal and I am happy with everything so far. It feels good to be where you are appreciated.

BN: It must have been tough being without a team for those couple of months.

TM: Yeah, and there are always doubts. I was starting to think that maybe I wasn’t good enough or maybe it was not meant to be, but with the belief that I have in Jesus, I knew that in the end there would be light. I knew that I would find a club. It was just silly doubts from my side, I guess.

BN: Why was your contract not renewed by SuperSport United upon its expiry at the end of last season?

TM: I can’t really say what happened there because when they recalled me from my loan (stint) at Cape Town City, there were ongoing talks because City wanted to buy me outright from SuperSport. I only stayed for a season, only to have my contract not renewed. Look, it wasn’t up to me, it was up to SuperSport. I had to go back after the end of the loan. I wanted to remain at City because I was treated well and I enjoyed my game there. But, like I said, it was not up to me. Apparently, SuperSport and City could not agree to a fee and that is why the deal fell through. City never met what SuperSport were asking for my services.

BN: Which other clubs were you speaking to before joining the Chilli Boys?

TM: I spoke to AmaZulu and there was a possibility of joining them. I also spoke to Cape Town City, like I said. It was those two teams besides Chippa. I think Chippa were serious about signing me because they were in constant contact with my agent and I and that is why I chose them over the other two.

BN: The Chilli Boys haven’t had a good start to the 2018/19 Absa Premiership season. In fact, at one stage, you went five games without a victory…

TM: I cannot really tell you where the problem is, honestly. We are trying by all means to win games, but at the present moment, it’s not happening. It is out of our control at the moment. We have not been doing badly, if you watch our games. I think in the games we lost, we gave a good performance, but couldn’t capitalise and make use of the chances we created. For example, when we lost to Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout, we could have tried to force the game into extra time, but we failed to do that. In the game against Mamelodi Sundowns, we created so many chan

ces and I feel like we should have gotten at least a point, but again, we couldn’t score from the chances we created. We are putting up brave performances but just never capitalise on the chances that we create. The sad thing is that everyone will only remember the fact that we didn’t win a game in five games and not how well we played in those games. That is the sad reality. BN: The club signed a whole host of players, quality players at that, at the start of the campaign, leading many to believe this was your season to do better than you’ve ever done before. Why do you think it hasn’t all come together? TM: I cannot answer that one because I only arrived recently. “Apparently, SuperSport and City could not agree to a fee.” However, you are right when you say the club signed quality players. All players here are quality.

BN: What went wrong under coach Eric Tinkler?

TM: I really don’t know… we were doing well in terms of playing, but the results were just not forthcoming. I think we were just going through a rough spell because I know and we all know that coach Eric is a very good coach.

BN: There are suggestions he may have lost the dressing room after that incident with captain Mark Mayambela…

TM: No, I don’t think so. I haven’t noticed anything of that sort here. If it did happen, then I was not aware (of it). As far as I know, they smoked the peace pipe after the Pirates game and they both moved on from that incident.

BN: The club’s chief operations officer, Lukhanyo Mzinzi, was on Umhlobo Wenene FM last Thursday and openly admitted that indeed Tinkler had lost the dressing room.

TM: Well, I didn’t listen to the radio and no one told me about it. Look, I don’t know if it really happened, but I never noticed it. I’m more focused on my football than on the boardroom stuff – maybe that’s why I never notice. Remember I wasn’t playing at SuperSport and all I have been concentrating on is playing. Maybe that’s why I missed it. BN: As one of the club’s players, we really wish you’d tell us where things are going wrong, Thato… TM: I think we were and still are failing to score goals. That is our main problem. We create so many chances in every game, but we are not scoring. BN: You played to yet another draw against Polokwane City at home on Friday evening. TM: Eish, I said to you, our problem is not scoring goals, as we have