Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has lauded veteran midfielder Themba Zwane for remaining a top professional.
Masandawana coach Miguel Cardoso snubbed Mshishi in the Caf Champions League final against Pyramids, a game the Premier Soccer League champions lost 3-2 in aggregate. The 38-year-old insists the 35-year-old is a top professional who has done everything to succeed.
Mokwena started by explaining why he feels Zwane is special despite playing in the South African top tier for many years.
Everybody knows how I feel about Zwane
“Yeah, [Zwane represents township football] it’s always been that, but I don’t want to talk about it because I think I have expressed my feelings about how I feel about Mshishi and everybody knows,” he told Soccer Africa.
“Mshishi is special, and there’s more to just Mshishi being successful. Mshishi is a reflection of that; from the dusty streets of Tembisa to playing for Vardos, to going through difficulties and then, I mean how many seasons as a top professional? These type of people have to succeed for football to be better and stronger because we have to get back to that culture of playing street football.
“When people have done that and have succeeded, it speaks to motivate the kids in the townships. Over and above whether or not he should be playing, I think that’s always something that is up to the coach.”
‘Nine out of 10 times, I played Mshishi'
“I would always take my hat off and give Mshishi big respect because he speaks to the South African child. The Neo who is in Tembisa instead of going into the corners and really being overcome by so many social ills, he gets motivated when he says ‘hey I used to watch Themba Zwane playing on the street barefooted and there he is already going to the Club World Cup, Champions League,’ he serves as an inspiration for many.
“I don’t know [about playing Zwane] because the dynamics are completely different. I think always the team, the coach, they always try, of course, in the final you always try and put your best team, and I’m sure there are mitigating factors that maybe from within we might not be privy to.
“But you know, as a Sundowns coach, nine out of 10 times I played Mshishi.”
