'I gave a clear picture of the player I am‚ and that won't change,' says Bafana star Mokotjo

Midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo is looking forward to a long career with Bafana Bafana after his citizenship saga was resolved late last week.

The 26-year-old did not immediately reapply for his SA citizenship when he took up one with the Netherlands late last year‚ making him ineligible to play for Bafana.

But he retained his SA citizenship on Friday after reapplying‚ which was granted by Home Affairs and was then able to play in the 3-1 win over Guinea-Bissau at the weekend.

• Bafana injuries a headache for coachInjuries to four key players have left Bafana Bafana caretaker coach Owen da Gama with plenty to think about ahead of tonight's friendly international against Angola. 

Now that the dust has settled‚ Mokotjo said it is time to move on and focus on what he does best‚ which is dominating play in the centre of the park.

"The outcome (of reapplying) was positive‚ so I can't complain‚" said Mokotjo after playing his seventh match for Bafana.

"For my personal game‚ I kept it clean and neat (against Guinea-Bissau). I played a lot of positive passes and that's more my game – I'm about efficiency and results.

"I'm not a show-boater‚ so I did what I had to do. I gave a clear picture of the type of player I am and that won't change going forward."

The FC Twente midfielder said he hopes that the national team can build on their performances from the friendlies to do well in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

• Da Gama admits Mokotjo didn't get a fair shake under Shakes MashabaOwen Da Gama’s recall of Kamohelo Mokotjo‚ not to sit on the bench‚ but to start‚ in the 3-1 friendly win against Guinea-Bissau at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday swept away the snobbishness displayed to overseas-based players in recent years. 

"We have a vision we are working towards and that's qualifying for the (2019 African) Nations Cup and (2018) World Cup. For me‚ it is the beginning‚" he said.

Mokotjo will be back in action on Tuesday night when SA host Angola at Buffalo City Stadium in East London (7pm).

Mokotjo‚ who was born in in the Free State‚ took up Dutch citizenship to make it possible to move to a bigger league without needing a certain number of national caps.

Laws in the Netherlands require new citizens to renounce their past citizenship‚ resulting in Mokotjo needing to reapply once he received a call-up to the lastest Bafana sqaud.

• Injuries could force Da Gama to shuffle his deck ahead of Angola encounterInjuries to four key players have left Bafana Bafana caretaker coach Owen da Gama with plenty to think about ahead of Tuesday night’s friendly international against Angola. 

"It's a sacrifice I had to make‚ because I have a club career – that's one [point]‚" the FC Twente midfielder explained.

"I'm 26 and I'm not a youngster anymore - that's two.

"I have a family to provide for and there comes a time where you have to put yourself first and I did that‚ but at the end of the day I can still play for my country again."

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport