SA makes history with three clubs in African competitions

For the first time in this country's history, three clubs will go into the pot for the group stage draw of African competitions. Taking part in these tournaments can be life-changing for the careers of many.

Njabulo Ngidi identifies three novices from SA's hopefuls:

TEBOHO MOKOENA of Supersport United

"This boy is going to be one of the best players this country has ever seen," Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena said with his arm around Teboho Mokoena at Lucas Moripe Stadium after the Tshwane derby. The SuperSport United midfielder blushed while he was being praised by the "enemy", looking down with a smile on his face.

The 19-year-old's humility makes him struggle to deal with compliments. They embarrass him even though by now he should be used to them because he has shown promise from an early age. Mokwena compares the lad from Bethlehem with Kaizer Chiefs legend Thabo Mooki.

Mokoena has excellent vision and is calm under pressure. That's because football is in his genes. His late father, Alexis "Didi" Motaung, played for Free State Stars and Hellenic.

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"I only saw him play once," Mokoena said. "That motivated me to continue his legacy and do things that he couldn't do in his career, like represent my country and play abroad. It wasn't easy to accept his death. But the support my mother and grandparents gave me helped me deal with it. His death motivated me to work even harder so that I can support my family and help my mother live a good life."

Mokoena was 13 when his father died in 2010. By then he was still making his way up in a career that would take him to Free State Stars' Harmony Sport Academy before joining Matsatsantsa a Pitori. It took just one match with the reserve side, a 1-0 loss to Cape Town City, for coach Stuart Baxter to promote him to the first team late last year.

Part of his growth is coming up with one of the best midfielders in the country, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, almost every day at training. Baxter hardly fields the pair in the same team at training because they demolish their opponents. With time they can do that in the league and possibly the continent.

"That groot man is tough to mark," Mokoena said. "It's an honour to play alongside him. I don't only want to reach his level, but want to go beyond it."

GIFT LINKS of Platinum Stars

Matric student Gift Links is alone at the club gymnasium when he takes my call on Thursday night. He has to catch up with his teammates who put in a shift while he was at Keledi Secondary School during the day.

After that session, Links goes back to his books. It's an intricate balancing act for the 18-year-old who is a student first before he is a professional footballer.

"I don't just want to pass matric but I want to do so with good marks so that I can go to a good university to study sport science," Links said. "I don't want to be lost to sport even after I retire from football.

"The coach [Cavin Johnson] and the club understand that school comes first. That's why they allow me time to study. I have my own programme that I follow after school when I am not training with the first team."

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Last year, it was midfield player Kobamelo Kodisang who was involved in this balancing act.

Links, Kodisang and Charles Baloyi grew up together at Dikwena's academy before they were promoted to the first team. Graduates played a key role in taking Platinum Stars to the Caf Confederation Cup group stage as Johnson fielded youngsters. They held their own to succeed in a challenging environment.

This was nothing new for Links, who has always been brave beyond his years. Stepping up in the penalty shootout to help his team go to the group stage for the first time in the club's history was just a continuation of that bravery by the lad who joined the club as an 11-year-old.

"I remember the first time I went overseas, to Norway, as a 10-year-old," Links said. "My grandmother didn't want me to go. She thought I was too young. My whole family was scared. I thought that they wouldn't allow me to go. They eventually gave in and I went there. We lost in the quarterfinals to the hosts in a tournament that also had the likes of Brazil and Mexico. I enjoyed my time there and that experience made me realise that I love this football thing."

LUCKY MOHOMI of Sundowns

"Fabregas" cut his teeth in a team owned by his mother before he had stints at Mpumalanga Black Aces, Garankuwa United and then got his big break at Free State Stars. Home comfort that Lucky Mohomi enjoys by playing for the club from his hood is nothing new to the Mamelodi Sundowns' midfielder.

"I have never been in a professional academy setup," Mohomi said. "I refined my talent in the hood before I turned professional. The first team that I played for was owned by my mother [Lizzy]. It was called Mama's All Stars. She did everything there, just like Bra J [Jomo Sono, owner and coach of Jomo Cosmos]. It was a platform for young boys to be in a safe place. It still exists. I visit it now and then to motivate the players and support them wherever I can because it's easy for boys in the township to stray."

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Even though the 25-year-old is at home at Sundowns, he struggled for regular game time at first. Captain Hlompho Kekana and Tiyani Mabunda are a dependable pair in central midfield with Teko Modise making cameos here and there. But an injury to Mabunda and the club's hectic schedule paved the way for Mohomi to start in six of the club's last eight matches.

"I am still trying to find my feet in a team that has a lot of quality players," Mohomi said. "Playing with such players can only help me grow." In a short time Mohomi has achieved what many players can only dream about. Three months into his time at Sundowns he was an African champion as the club lifted the Confederation of African Football Champions League in October last year. Two months after that he got a taste of the Fifa Club World Cup. But Mohomi achieved both of those successes by merely being at the right place at the right time.

He didn't play a single minute in the Champions League and got a small run in the Club World Cup. That's why he is driven to play a bigger role in the Brazilians' quest to retain the Champions League. Should they succeed, the Chloorkop outfit will have a second bite at the Club World Cup which will be in the United Arab Emirates in December.