We’re Paying School Fees With Mailula And Co – Mokwena

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena admits they are aware the dips in form will be part of the process of nurturing their explosive talent emerging at the club.

Cassius Maulila, 21, has enjoyed an incredible debut season with the first team that’s seen him make his Bafana Bafana debut and a favourite for the Premier Soccer League Young Player of the Season – and even an outside contender for the Footballer of the Season.

Several other talents have also made their debuts; Siyanda Nyanga, Ntando Nkosi, Thando Buthelezi, Jerome Karelse, and Siyabonga Mabena, the latter who is still in Grade 10 and only 16 years old.

With nine league goals to his name, he’s among the contenders for the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award but his recent goal drought and drop in performances have been evident in comparison to his blistering start to life at Masandawana – something the technical team is ready to handle, Mokwena insisted.

“Funny, again, you might think I’m joking, but I was talking to him and showing him the clips of his previous performance and he said to me, I need to walk barefooted,” Mokwena said in the pre-match press conference ahead of facing Stellenbosch.

“He said, he said I need to walk barefooted, that’s what he said, it’s true – with the young ones you have to accept, unfortunately, you are paying school fees, you know you are paying school fees, they can only learn by making mistakes.

“And they will get better, what should be a blessing for them is, if you look at for example Mkhulise, who went on loan to Black Leopards to get game time and to learn, look at Percy, he had to go out on loan also, get his minutes and learn.”

Mokwena went on to state this crop of young talent will benefit from being in and around the star-studded Masandawana squad rather than the previous talents who went out on loan to cut their teeth at a lower level before returning to fight for their place in the squad.

“They are very fortunate and privileged and should never forget they are getting to learn from some the best already… and again I try so much to guard my words and don’t misinterpret me,” he continued.

“When I speak about others going out on loan… I’m trying to say the privilege of training with Themba Zwane, and Marcelo Allende, and the privilege of doing extra training against Denis Onyango and Ronwen Williams…

“That is something a 16-year-old, 17-year-old, teenagers… I would do anything for that – so yeah they will grow, they will get into that space, we will coach them and help them get better and better.”

Overall, Mailula has scored 14 goals and registered four assists in 25 games this season across all competitions as they chase a historic treble.