Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted he does not see Relebohile Mofokeng staying at Orlando Pirates beyond this season.
Broos has been among those who advised the Pirates youngster against rushing into a move abroad as he felt the 20-year-old needed another year in the PSL and also play in the CAF Champions before making the transfer overseas.
Broos is glad that the youngster listened to him and stayed at Pirates and now thinks he will be leaving at the end of the current campaign but has cautioned him against making a money-driven decision as it could be catastrophic for his career.
“Rele can play in Europe, and I said it in the first year when he came into the Bafana team because immediately there was a lot of interest in him,” Broos told journalists on Thursday as quoted by FARPost.
Broos glad Rele listen to him
“I said to him: ‘Look, just stay one year more [at Pirates]. You play [CAF] Champions League with Pirates, and you will have experience of the PSL as well. It is too soon to go now’ [Europe]. So, he made a good decision to stay at Pirates.”
The Bafana Bafana boss then advised Rele which leagues will be best for him if he decides to ditch the PSL amid recent links to Barcelona and Scottish giants Rangers.
“He can go to Barcelona in two to three years, and he will be stronger than now. Everybody likes Mofokeng and he is a nice guy and has a lot of talent but he joins Barcelona now, he is just Mofokeng and will play for the second team,” added the veteran coach.
Which leagues are best for Mofokeng?
“But when you talk about Rangers, what is Rele going to do in the Scottish league? He will not play there even with the talent he has. The football in that league is not ideal for Rele.
“He can go to Belgium, Holland, he can go to France, he can go to Portugal, not immediately in the Premier Division, but he doesn’t have to go to Italy and Germany, for example. He will be ready in two to three years, but now I think he is not ready to play in such leagues even though he has the talent.”
Mofokeng has continued to shine this season, scoring eight goals while providing 11 assists in all competitions, increasing interest from clubs abroad.
Bafana coach cited Mailula’s case
“You saw with Mailula?” Broos posed regarding the former Mamelodi Sundowns striker, who made a move to MLS club Toronto FC and struggled for game time, before his ex-coach Rulani Mokwena offered him a lifeline at Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club.
“I think I said from the first minute what was he going to do in Toronto because I saw immediately that there were two ex-international Italian strikers and a striker from the national team of America; what was Mailula going to do there?
“Now, he is at Wydad and plays because Rulani [Mokwena] is there. Maybe he can do the step later again to Europe.”
Mofokeng has become a vital member of the Pirates squad and will be among Jose Riveiro’s main men when the Buccaneers host Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby on Saturday.
