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Komphela recalls teen antics: Senzo was 'naughty'

STEVE Komphela remembers Senzo Meyiwa as a "naughty" teenager during his time with the national under-23 squad.

"I worked with him from 2005 to 2009," Komphela said yesterday of the late Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain, who perished tragically following a shooting incident.

"He used to share a room with Itumeleng Khune in camp, and one day hotel authorities reported that a cupboard was damaged in their room. Apparently this happened after he had lost as they played a TV game. They were typical juveniles, naughty teenagers, but still within the required levels of their stage."

Whereas some South Africans were taken by surprise to see Meyiwa named Bafana captain when Khune withdrew from the squad through injury in September, Komphela said he had long seen the goalkeeper's leadership qualities. "A lot of the kids we had in the under-23 team showed potential from an early stage, that they could lead. Senzo was right up there, and I was not surprised when Bra Shakes [Mashaba, the Bafana coach] made him captain. Normally we say a lot of good things about people when they are no more, but in the case of Senzo, he was genuinely a great kid to work with. It's so sad we lost him this early."

When they first assembled for camp in 2005, Komphela told his players they were destined for success, thus he drew pride from seeing Meyiwa represent one of the country's top sides, Pirates.

"In the very first team meeting I told them they were starting off as a seed that one day would grow to be a forest. And indeed it became a massive forest because the likes of Senzo grew to play consistently at a top club and the national team," the former Bafana captain said.

He added that Mashaba would find it difficult to fill the void in the national side, both in goal and in leadership.

"It's a massive challenge for whoever is going to come in because Senzo departed without having conceded [in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers]. That record is there and Bra Shakes has to look to the next keeper, who will not be the same as Senzo because players can never be the same."

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