United's Kaitano Tembo: 'Lucky Mohomi couldn’t even train because he was just too emotional'

15 December 2020 - 14:42 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
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SuperSport United head coach Kaitano Tembo is not satisfied with the way his team has defended since the start of the new season.
SuperSport United head coach Kaitano Tembo is not satisfied with the way his team has defended since the start of the new season.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

The death of Mamelodi Sundowns defender Motjeka Madisha has had a devastating effect at SuperSport United and the shattered members of the team will attempt to gather themselves as they prepare to face Kaizer Chiefs in a league match on Tuesday night at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

United coach Kaitano Tembo revealed that the training sessions have been extremely emotional this week as the 25-year-old Madisha‚ who died in a horrific car accident on Sunday morning‚ had close friends and former Sundowns team-mates at the side.

“It was very emotional and it was difficult for us to really keep going at training‚ and one of our players‚ Lucky Mohomi‚ couldn’t even train because he was just too emotional‚” said Tembo.

“I had to give him some time off because of that and it shows how heartbreaking it was for our players.

"For me personally‚ it is also sad because I have known Madisha since he was a young man when I was coaching at the SuperSport United academy and he was playing in the Sundowns academy.

"I met him on a number of occasions during tournaments like Bayhill and Kay Motsepe Cup and obviously in the PSL.”

Madisha lost his life shortly after former Bafana and Sundowns defender Anele Ngcongca also died in a horrific car accident in KwaZulu-Natal.

He was buried in Cape Town last week.

Tembo said SuperSport tries to educate players on how to behave themselves on and off the pitch‚ but they carry the responsibility for their actions.

“In terms of us as a club playing a role in terms of educating the players‚ we always do that on a regular basis. But at the same time the onus is also on individuals to take responsibility for their futures.

"If you take for example now‚ we are in this pandemic and every one of us has to follow government’s safety regulations.

"Information is out there that everyone must wear a mask‚ practice social distancing‚ sanitize but how many of us are doing that.

“It is also important for players to take responsibility because it’s their futures and it is their lives. The clubs can only do so much but the players have to take responsibility.

"We might see it as only soccer players who are perishing on the roads but they are just a drop in the ocean.

"We have a bigger societal problem which is reflecting on what is happening out there. It has to be a collective thing in terms of managing this because our roads have become death traps for everyone.”


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