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"I really hope that we don’t do with Teboho what we do with a lot of talent in South Africa," says SuperSport coach Baxter

SuperSport United’s Under-20 international Teboho Mokoena is a “talented boy”‚ said his coach‚ Stuart Baxter of the youth product who has been breaking into Matsatsantsa’s central midfield.

In the past week‚ SuperSport’s 20-year-old Mokoena – having had three league substitute appearances this season – was brought in by Baxter to steady a shaky SuperSport who had capitulated to a 5-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns last week.

The junior international had impressed Baxter starting all but one of SuperSport’s six Caf Confederation Cup matches and a Nedbank Cup win against KwaDukuza United.

Whether for tactical reasons or on form‚ Mokoena was picked ahead of Cole Alexander when Baxter decided to pack his central midfield with Reneilwe Letsholonyane‚ Dean Furman and Mokoena following a loss against Baroka and the capitulation against Sundowns.

Mokoena did well enough in a much-improved 1-0 return leg defeat against Downs to keep his place for the full 120 minutes of Saturday night’s 5-3 penalties Nedbank Cup quarterfinal victory against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.

“I think he’s a talent. I really hope that we don’t do with Teboho what we do with a lot of talent in South Africa‚ which is to go totally overboard when he’s played one game‚” Baxter said.

“And then he takes six months with his head up his backside‚ and we then have to nurse him back to reality.

“I think he’s doing nicely. We’ve brought him along in a couple of games‚ a few substitutes’ appearances and he’s played a lot of games in Caf.

“He’s had a lot of experience this year that will be great for him in future.

“I would love to send him to the World Cup with the Under-20s. Our injury list will dictate if we can or we can’t in the preparation with the (SA U-20) team.

“But undoubtedly he’s a talented boy who I’m sure South Africa will get a lot of pleasure from.”

Mokoena was influential for Thabo Senong’s SA U-20s at the Caf U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in March.

He started in the 3-1 opening group win against Cameroon‚ was perhaps inadvisably dropped in the 4-3 defeat against Senegal‚ then came back and played a role in a 3-1 win against Sudan‚ then the 1-0 extra-time semifinal defeat against hosts Zambia.

Amajita’s fourth-placed finish saw them qualify for next month’s Fifa U-20 World Cup in South Korea. - TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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