Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor Khumalo has hit out at referees for failing to protect Orlando Pirates youngster Relebohile Mofokeng against bad tackles.
Khumalo also did not have kind words for opposition players who he feels are targeting the 20-year-old, something he believes can ruin the massively talented forward if not checked.
The former Chiefs player was not happy at how Mofokeng was treated in Pirates’ win over SuperSport United and AmaZulu, when he was on the end of bad tackles from Pogiso Sanoka and Boniface Haba respectively.
Khumalo not impressed by treatment of Rele
“Another very bad weekend where we nearly lost a promising young player that we South Africans are proud of. And the officials couldn’t like protect players,” Khumalo told Soccerzone.
“We are not talking about Mofokeng only but we’re taking about players that are promising that we ourselves as a country pride ourselves in to say it’s a guaranteed 10-year-old [long] player for us.
“That is gruesome. I’ve gone through that. It’s an ick because now you’re going to be scared.
Are players deliberately targeting Mofokeng?
“You’ve taken a step to say you started from here. Now you’re flying with your career, and the opponents are the ones that are trying to stop your God-given talent that you must stop.
“Those tackles are not tackles of football. You can’t go over and then on top of that you pride yourself to say that ‘I’ll show you s**t’! But what do you gain?”
Mofokeng, who turned 20 last week, has been one of the bright young prospects in South African football since last season.
