MDC has helped raise my confidence, Sibiya

former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Johan Neeskens. The side ended their visit by watching the Dutch senior national team take on France in a friendly in Amsterdam.

“Playing in the MDC helped me a lot,” Sibiya said. “Before I played in it, I was low in confidence because all I did was train with the first team without playing any match. The matches we (the reserves) played weren’t that competitive. But the MDC helped to raise my confidence because I was playing against quality opposition and the matches were on TV.”

Before the MDC, the 21-yearold had a mere 36 minutes of elite league game time which he got in the club’s final match of the 2013/14 season against Orlando Pirates. But after the MDC, he played eight games last season and he begun this campaign in the starting XI against Pirates.

“I used to play for 60 minutes and then get tired because I wasn’t used to the intensity,” Sibiya said. “I played in the MDC but complemented it by doing extra training on my own. I saw an improvement in my strength and how I handle the intensity. I haven’t stopped doing that because it helped me break into the first team and also keep my place.”

There will be a number of youngsters looking to be able to talk about the MDC like Sibiya does after the season ends on February 25 next year. It starts on Saturday with a weekend festival in Durban at King Zwelithini Stadium. Apart from getting regular game time, the winners also go abroad.

“Going to Netherlands was an eye-opener and something that we needed as young players,” Sibiya said. “We got to experience how they do things that side and we learned a lot. For me, going overseas for the first time, was a dream come true. We learnt about the need to respect our opponents. We saw we could match top teams by doing certain things right. We’re all better off after the experience.”

Looking at how busy clubs were in the transfer window to strengthen their squads, the MDC – which serves as the reserve league – will come in handy to keep fringe players active so they’re ready when called into action. Saturday: CT City v SuperSport @ Gugulethu Stadium, 10am; @ King Zwelithini Stadium, Celtic v Arrows, 10am; Wits v Chiefs, 12pm Sunday: Chippa v P Stars @ Gelvandale Stadium, 10am; Baroka v Ajax @ Old Peter Mokaba, 10am; FS Stars v Polokwane City @ Goble Park Stadium, 12pm; @ King Zwelithini Stadium, Maritzburg v Highlands, 10am; Sundowns v Pirates, 12pm Saturday: Bidvest Wits v Cape Town City, 8.15pm Sunday: Chippa Utd v Mamelodi Sundowns, 3pm