Joseph Makhanya tips Pirates ‘CoComelon football’ stars Mofokeng, Nkota for Europe

Orlando Pirates development coach Joseph Makhanya believes exciting young stars Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota could be ready for a move to Europe.

Bucs’ DStv Diski Challenge (under-23 league) coach gives credit to Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs for showing bravery by playing young players regularly, hauling a mindset change across the board from most club bosses and coaches. 

There is a new phenomenon in South African football where young players are given opportunities to showcase their talents. More and more clubs are seeing the benefits of the fearlessness and energy brought by young players, and the financial rewards in developing talent that can be sold for great profit, rather than always buying players.

Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has led the way by trusting exciting attackers Mofokeng and Nkota, who generally operate as a fearsome wing duo for the Buccaneers.

Because of their youth, Pirates supporters have playfully branded their club protagonists 'CoComelon football', in reference to the children's YouTube/TV channel.

“There is never the right time to say a player is ready to go to Europe — it must happen for us to see if they are ready or not,” said Makhanya, who came through Pirates' development programme with the gifted early-2000s generation of Gift Leremi, Lesley Manyathela, Benedict Vilakazi, Lebohang Mokoena, Kelebogile Mabe and Solly Mathe. 

“What we hope for as coaches is to see them go and realise their dreams because we never got those opportunities. As a coach you want to see a player you coached go play for a team like Barcelona or maybe [somewhere smaller like] Rangers in Scotland. But it must make business sense for our teams, and we make sure it is the right environment for the player to progress. 

“Once the player progresses, it means the national team gets to benefit — we have seen that with a player like Benni McCarthy, who went on to make it at the highest level in Europe, and that’s what we want for our players. 

“I feel if it can happen at an earlier age, why not? And we wish for it to happen so they can go and play overseas so that we [as a national team] get to compete against the world.”

Football fans are excited to see young players making their presence felt at various clubs and this will help Bafana Bafana, Makhanya said. 

Among an exciting emerging generation in South Africa are Siyabonga Mabena, Kutlwano Letlhaku, Asekho Tiwani and Malibongwe Khoza (both Mamelodi Sundowns), Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota (both Pirates), Gabriel Amato (Cape Town City) and Lwanda Mbanjwa (Golden Arrows). 

There is also Mfundo Vilakazi (Kaizer Chiefs), Puso Dithejane (TS Galaxy), Neo Rapoo (SuperSport United), Ntlonelo Bomelo (Richards Bay) and Monty Batlhabane (Polokwane City) and many others who have graduated from their respective DDC teams. 

“It really pleases me [to see young players getting opportunities] because I am a product of development,” Makhanya said. 

“I went through the ranks at Orlando Pirates and went all to way to the first team, so it makes me proud when I see players graduating. The biggest takeaway is making sure they get to the level where they showcase their talents at the highest level, which is good for our football.” 

Makhanya said the young players coming through today need to be put in the right environments and protected as too much pressure may weigh heavily on them. 

“Credit must go to the coaches for showing bravery by playing these players at a high level, but integration has to be good because indirectly you can break them while trying to make them. 

“It is important they get to that level and still perform the way we know them. If you are to look at how Relebohile and Nkota have been integrated, it tells you that coach Jose Riveiro knows what he is doing.

“He doesn’t only give them 15 minutes, Mofokeng starts and finishes matches and that teaches him responsibility at a big club. A whole lot of responsibility has been put on the shoulders of a young man and that’s why we must protect his talent so that he doesn’t attract bad things. 

“He [Mofokeng] is consistent and for that we need to give credit to the first team coach. Now you can see that other teams have started to believe in introducing a whole lot of youngsters.” 

Makhanya said medium-sized clubs such as Stellenbosch FC and SuperSport that have strong development systems reap handsome financial rewards when they sell some of their players to the so-called big teams. 

“Look at how Stellenbosch are doing their thing by giving opportunities to younger players and those young players are the ones that are going to be bought by the big teams. 

“So why not be brave enough to make sure that you give a platform to your younger players so that you don’t have to go into the market in a big way and buy players?”