Mabasa – What Kaitano Told Me In First Chat

After moving on loan from Orlando Pirates to Sekhukhune United, Tshegofatso Mabasa has spoken about what Kaitano Tembo told him in their first meeting, while he also opens up on his lack of game-time at Pirates.

The former Grey College and Bloemfontein Celtic player made just 16 DStv Premiership appearances last season for Bucs, with only seven starts, scoring twice. He spoke to Lorenz Köhler in the latest edition of iDiski Times about his season at Pirates, and also what he hopes to achieve in this loan spell.

The 25-year-old couldn’t put his finger on why he featured so little under Fadlu Davids and Mandla Ncikazi in 2021/2022, and said it was a bit frustrating as he was always scoring in friendlies.

“To be honest, I don’t know, I don’t know,” Mabasa told iDiski Times. 

“But one thing I continued to do was just to give my 100 percent every time I was on that training field.

“And it was evident that there were no friendly games I didn’t score in. So if I was not given the nod then it was a bit frustrating for me at the time. 

“But like I said, it’s the mental strength, it’s something that we need to overcome, you just stay focused and keep doing what you love.”

Mabasa also explained how his new coach said he wants to make him the league’s top goalscorer.

“The first thing he told me was, ‘we want to turn you into the top goalscorer of this league,” Mabasa said. 

“That’s the first thing he said when I met him at my first training session, so you can see the ambition he has as a coach, as well as the ambition of the rest of the team. 

“We want to compete, we are not just here to add numbers this season.” 

Click below to read the FREE digital version of the iDiski Times newspaper, with exclusive interviews with AmaZulu’s latest signing, George Maluleka, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Marc van Heerden, plus the latest transfer news on Lebogang Manyama, Collins Makgaka and Nicholus Lukhubeni.