Makheleni Makhaula (left) with Thabiso Monyane during the Orlando Pirates kit launch at Orlando Stadium on Monday. (Pic supplied)
After youngster Relebohile Mofokeng took the Premier Soccer League by storm last season, veteran midfielder Makhehleni Makhaula has once again tipped him to be a shining star for Orlando Pirates in the new campaign.
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The veteran midfielder, however, is expecting a tougher 2024/25 season for Mofokeng.
“This is going to be a very difficult season for Rele because as you’ve seen towards the end of last season, teams were planning (to stop him),” said Makhaula during the Pirates jersey launch at Orlando Stadium on Monday.
Pirates and adidas on Monday unveiled the new home and away jerseys for the 24/25 season as an ode to the “Father of Soweto”.
James “Sofasonke” Mpanza, born in 1889, was instrumental in forming Orlando Pirates in 1937. His vision and leadership laid the foundation for what has become one of the most successful and beloved football clubs in South Africa.
“I think this season it’s going to be tough for him because teams will be focusing on him. That’s why I’m saying that the (Mohau) Nkota’s and other youngsters in the team, it would be nice of them to take the pressure off him,” said Makhaula
Makhaula believes that Mofokeng’s “big heart and maturity” will help him overcome the obstacles that he will face this coming season.
“Rele is a boy with a big heart … and when he’s on the field, he creates magic. He’s a very difficult player. He’s young but he is on another level,” added Makhaula, whose videos of him and Mofokeng dancing on the pitch after a victory were a hit last season.
Makhaula likens Mofokeng to Barca’s Lamal
Makhaula has compared Mofokeng to Lamine Yamal, who at only 17 years of age was the star for Spain as they won Euro 2024.
“I can say that (he is similar to Lamal) because remember when he came to Pirates senior team, we had the likes of (Thembinkosi) Lorch, but you could see that he’s the future of the team. The boy practically carried the team. Last season when chips were down, we looked up to him to carry us through. He would tell you, ‘grootman (big brother) don’t worry we’ll do this thing’ and he would do it.”
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“Rele was patient, even though he was given just two minutes or three minutes he used those minutes to try and excel. I think Nkota is also one for the future. I have seen him at training and I have seen him now in Spain. Rele has a very big competition there (in Nkota) because this boy is also very good.”
