Mamelodi Sundowns breakout star Cassius Mailula has revealed which advice Themba Zwane and Bongani Zungu gave him when he broke in to the first team.
Mailula, 21, has scored 14 goals across all competition for Sundowns this season, with his fine form even earning him a call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad.
Despite needing little time to score his first senior goal in the CAF Champions League qualifying round against La Passe, Mailule admitted the adaptation to senior football wasn’t as easy as he made it look to be.
“I won’t lie, playing in the senior team is not easy,” he told Sundowns’ Magazine.
“At first, it was challenging to adapt to everything that was happening. It felt surreal to be playing alongside footballers who I used to see on the field when I was still a ball boy.”
However, he also confirmed that Mshishi and Zungu took him under their wings to help his settle in.
“Initially it was overwhelming but the senior players kept supporting me,” he added.
“Themba Zwane and Bongani Zungu kept reminding me that it is okay to make mistakes because they provide learning curves in order to improve one’s game.
“Hearing those words from seasoned professionals motivated me to work towards finding my rhythm and giving me the opportunity to really enjoy the game.”
