Roger De Sa: Age 25 is not young in football

Iran assistant coach Roger De Sa has reminded South African clubs that a player aged 25 is not young.

De Sa says South Africa overprotects youngsters when they’re ready to play at senior level. Fresh from the FIFA World Cup, De Sa was sharing his experiences, watching teenagers rubbing shoulders with veterans of the game.

The former Orlando Pirates coach is confused why a 25-year-old footballer is deemed a youngster in South Africa.

He believes the only way players can be developed is for them to be thrown into the deep end while they’re still raw.

ROGER DE SA ON SA’S YOUNGSTERS BEING OVERPROTECTED

“We have a tendency here that young is 25,” he told Marawa Sports Worldwide.

“Young is 17, 18. That’s when you should be throwing them in and getting top players.”

De Sa recalled the time when he handed 17-year-old Rivaldo Coetzee a senior team debut at Ajax Cape Town in 2014.

He says many people were questioning the readiness of the youngster due to his young age and lack of experience.

COETZEE’S SENIOR TEAM DEBUT AT 17

“I remember playing young Rivaldo [Coetzee] at Ajax [Cape Town] when he was 17, and everybody raised eyebrows,” he added.

“He was ready. Just because he was 17 didn’t mean anything.

“Look at him now, I think he’s still one of the youngest players at Sundowns, but this was seven or eight years ago.

“That’s how it should be. That’s the only way we can develop.” 

Coetzee went on to play his first international game for Bafana Bafana in the same year when he was promoted to the senior team at Ajax.

He became the youngest player to be given that honour in the history of the South African national team.

The Cape Town-born joined Mamelodi Sundowns in 2017 when he was 20 years old.

Now, at the age of 25, he has amassed 25 Bafana appearances and lifted eight major trophies. 

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