What Tembo looks for in a youngster | Breaking News

Young players typically struggle for game time in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) but not at SuperSport United.

Matsatsantsa are one of the few teams in the DStv Premiership that afford youngsters an opportunity, and coach Kaitano Tembo said the young players at the club, such as Selaelo Rasebotja, Keenan Phillips, Luke Fleurs and Jesse Donn, have shown great potential.

The SuperSport coach said they would continue with their tried and tested formula of investing in young players to remain competitive.

“When you look at the young players that you give opportunities, there has to be a little bit of hunger and desire. They should want it as well,” said Tembo.

“And if you look at someone like Jesse, he is one player you would want to give an opportunity because he is not doing to fail and disappoint you in terms of effort.

“He will try harder and get better the more he plays. I think he has done that; I am quite happy with his progress because he was an understudy to Dean Furman. He learned a lot from playing alongside someone like that and Yeye [Reneilwe Letsholonyane]. Jesse is already one of our more experienced players; he forms the team’s spine.”

According to the Mail and Guardian, between the 2017/18 and 2021/22 seasons, of the 515 players who debuted in the league, 276 (54%) were under the age of 23 and can be considered “young players” by the PSL’s standards. 

“I am happy with the direction we are taking, with a bit of patience, and if we try and keep this team together for quite some time [we will reap the rewards],” added Tembo.

“We haven’t got out to spend money in signing players; we try to develop our own players and give them opportunities to play professional football.”

Tembo also believes it is only a matter of time before some of his young players earn a Bafana call up. “He [Donn] is on the verge of being called up to Bafana, and I don’t think it is only him,” declared the SuperSport mentor

“If you look at Luke Fleurs, he has done on to the Olympics. He is only 22, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, Botswana international, he is also only 22, but he is the captain of the Zebras, so we try and develop our own players,” concluded Tembo.

Please follow and like us: