A klap in the right direction set young soccer star straight

30 July 2017 - 00:00 By NJABULO NGIDI

A teammate slapped Boysen Mbatha into order last season and the AmaZulu midfield player didn't even think about fighting back.
That slap didn't come from just any teammate. It was from veteran marksman Siyabonga Nomvethe (39), Mbatha's mentor, idol and one of the reasons why the lad from Secunda in Mpumalanga was signed by Usuthu last year.
"There was a point when I was a bit demotivated last season because I wasn't playing as much as I would have liked," 23-year-old Mbatha said. "I wasn't giving it my all at training because I wasn't happy. No one saw that except for 'Ta Bhele' [Nomvethe]. He didn't say anything. He came to the change room and slapped me. He told me to snap out of it and return to working hard. I listened."
Now they are set to play together in the Premier Soccer League after Usuthu bought their way back to the elite division after buying the status of Thanda Royal Zulu.
Nomvethe, who turns 40 in December, is in his 20th year as a professional after making his debut for African Wanderers in 1997. Mbatha was three years old when "Bhele" broke into the scene with Abaqulusi.
Mbatha said: "I used to call myself Siyabonga Nomvethe. I wrote his name and number on my T-shirt because I wanted to be just like him. It was a surreal moment when I became his teammate at Moroka Swallows. He guides me on and off the field, telling me that if I take care of my body, my body will take care of me later."
Nomvethe seems to be growing younger, getting faster and more influential with age - giving the middle-finger to the obsession with kicking players out once they pass 30.His influence at AmaZulu shows that senior players offer clubs more than their performance on the field of play.
A number of old hands at SuperSport United have also shaped central midfielder Teboho Mokoena, 20. Midfield star Reneilwe Letsholonyane (35) serves as Mokoena's sparring partner at training while Tefu Mashamaite (32) is his spiritual counsellor.
"I share a room with Tefu in camp," said Mokoena. "He is an educated guy. He preaches that I should also balance football with the books.
"'Yeye' has helped me grow a lot. It helps having good role models and senior players to help us young players grow and adapt to the demands. A coach can only do so much."..

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