Mokoena reveals promise to Sundowns chairman

When Teboho Mokoena was named PSL Footballer of the Season five months ago, it vindicated his big money move to Mamelodi Sundowns in January last year.

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The Bafana Bafana International is not entirely satisfied with his achievements at the DStv Premiership champions despite picking up two league medals.

A lot of fans questioned his move to the Brazilians fearing that he would struggle to find his feet in the star-studded team.

The 26-year-old revealed the big promise he still needs to fulfill as the club hunts for the elusive second title in Africa’s premier club competition.

“Regarding the project (at Sundowns) I would say, I’m sold on it. I usually look back where I come from and the way I used to play and right now I’m miles ahead,” said Mokoena ahead of the quarter-final second leg clash against Petro de Luanda on Tuesday in the African Football League.

“I’m also enjoying my football, it has been tough and it will always be like that because the competition is very tough and that’s what makes us improve to keep on winning. I’m not happy because when I signed, I promised the chairman that we will win the champions league and we’re still working on it.

“My mentality has changed a lot. When you arrive at this environment, your mentality changes. You also have to change your way of life and the way you treat people.

“When I got here, I used to greet everyone sitting down but here it doesn’t matter who you’re greeting. It could be a child but you have to stand up and that’s the culture of the team and what we’re taught here.”

Mokoena called on the Sundowns fans to also play their part from the stands in order for him to help the club win its second champion league title.

“I think when we played against Wydad in the second leg last season, I think where the fans let us down is that they didn’t sing the whole game,” the ambitious midfielder said.

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“When we play in away games, we can’t even hear our own voices on the field because their fans are singing the whole game and booing us. But when we’re at home, our fans are just quiet and that is what’s letting us down as South Africans.”

Sundowns were eliminated by Wydad Casablanca in the semi-finals of the Caf Champions League last season. 

On the international stage, Mokoena also played an integral part in Bafana’s qualification to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.