Relebohile Mofokeng has come to life in the second half of the season.
Image: BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has revealed that he spends more time talking to Relebohile Mofokeng about matters outside football, helping him stay focused on becoming a better person and footballer.
Mofokeng has been in the spotlight this season. He helped Orlando Pirates complete a domestic treble after winning the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and Carling Knockout, ending a 14-year league drought.
His exploits in the second half of the season have tipped him to be among the frontrunners for the coveted PSL Footballer of the Season accolade.
But after Mofokeng hit a dip in form in the first half of the season – allegedly overwhelmed by the collapse of a move abroad after becoming the talk of the town in a short space of time – Broos wants him to remain focused ahead of the Fifa World Cup next month, where all eyes will be on him.
“I think the most important thing is to give him confidence. I think I do that. It’s not conversations that last minutes, but little things that will help him play,” said Broos on Thursday morning after naming his final 26-member Bafana final squad for the World Cup on Wednesday night.
“I know what happened to Rele in the last few years; it’s not so easy.
“I would say he came from being nothing to a star here in the PSL. I am also convinced that Rele hasn’t yet reached his peak. He still needs to improve certain things. I hope he now gets a chance to move to a bigger competition so he can become a better player.”
Despite backing Mofokeng to move abroad in the next few months, Broos reiterated that people must lower their expectations of him, especially at the World Cup, where the tournament could either make or break his career.
“I don’t think we have to put pressure on his shoulders. He’s still a young man,” Broos said.
“We have to protect him, even when he’s not performing at the level expected of him, because I don’t think he’s ready for that.”
Mofokeng is expected to return to his home ground, Orlando Stadium, on Friday night (6pm) when South Africa face Nicaragua in their final warm-up match before flying to Mexico on Sunday.