Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has warned of the curse of the rising star in South African football amid the impressive debut season of Cassius Mailula.
The academy product has made a sudden rise to prominence in the Sundowns’ first team after it seemed as if his career was not destined to reach the heights of his early academy days suggested.
Whilst in the Varsity Football tournament with Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2021 – he hardly got a sniff of football but the 21-year-old now looks set to become a key figure at Masadawana – with eight goals scored already this season.
“Cassius has a lot of potential – but still I say to you if there’s one person that the younger ones… I’m very protective of the younger ones you know,” Mokwena said.
“Because I’ve seen it many times in South Africa, where we… it’s called the curse of the rising star, you see the shooting star, you make a wish and it disappears.”
“I’m very cautious about the young ones and I plead always for patience, protect them, put them a little bit in the space where you don’t give them much attention and too much limelight – and allow them to come through and grow,” he continued.
“If they have that environment… very similar to how Percy had, not a lot of glitz and glam, Madisha the late, not a lot of glitz and glam, Mkhulise… not a lot of glitz and glam came through the ranks.
“When he needed the shine, he got the shine, but still be very careful with Cassius because there’s a lot to improve, a lot to improve.
“You saw it even now when he plays, he plays against Gyimiah and Carodoso and he has to play now with one man short, with the space in front because the block is deeper he has to link up and hold up play and wait for players to move closer.
“He struggles with that, so there’s so much to improve with Cassius but we’ll get there.”
