Mofokeng can get to the very top Relebohile Mofokeng's stellar performance for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana highlights the strategic need for careful rotation to maximise his impact and avoid burnout, as the team aims to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership. Picture: Phil Magakoe/AFP
Image: Phill Magakoe/AFP
One of the standout players in the Betway Premiership this season has undoubtedly been Relebohile Mofokeng for Orlando Pirates.
The 20-year-old has been a revelation for Pirates since winning the 2023/2024 PSL Young Player of the Year, and by all accounts, Mofokeng has been even better this season.
Mofokeng has also been producing the goods for Bafana Bafana, scoring in their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, which South Africa won 2-0.
With Pirates aiming to catch Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the league table, the conclusion to the season is set for an intriguing climax. Though Pirates are 15 points behind Sundowns, they do have four games in hand.
The temptation would therefore be for Pirates to play Mofokeng as much as possible, but according to former Bucs forward Andries Sebola, this is something they must resist.
“I am happy about the coach giving other players a chance to play,” Sebola told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.
“They cannot only depend on one player, more especially Mofokeng; the boy is still young, and at times, you can see that he is getting tired because he is playing league games; he also has to play the Champions League and also other domestic competitions.”
“At some point, they must give him some rest so that some other players can also get some game time.”
Sebola suggested a more cautious approach when giving Mofokeng game time.
“Maybe when things are not going accordingly for the team, that is when you can bring him on, because that is also when you will also be able to get the best out of him, but he needs a little bit of rest.”