Sanoka eager to 'avoid red cards and those dirty tackles'

Last season, TS Galaxy skipper Pogiso Sanoka earned a reputation of being a somewhat undisciplined player, accumulating a couple of red cards.

Sanoka, 30, is determined to be disciplined on the field this term, acknowledging, as a captain, he must lead by example. The Galaxy defender has been instrumental in the side’s dream start to the new campaign as they’re yet to taste a defeat with two big wins over Tshwane teams – Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United – plus a draw against AmaZulu.

“Ever since I inherited the captain’s armband, I have been a different player. I want to continue avoiding red cards and all those dirty tackles because I must lead by example. The guys [his teammates] are looking up to me as their skipper, so it’s important for me to be disciplined,” Sanoka told Sowetan.

The rejuvenated Galaxy skipper has reiterated he has learnt from his past mistakes, vowing to tread carefully this term. Sanoka also disclosed how his teammates’ jokes from the training ground ended up invigorating him to be a tough tackler on match days.  

“I have learnt my lesson. I am a mature player now. However, I can’t say I was a dirty player because the red cards are part of football. I am now going to go into tackles with caution because I want to change. In the past, at training they called me ‘Mr Bite’ and I took that from training into games and ended up being rough,” Sanoka stated.

Galaxy’s blistering start to the campaign may have surprised many but Sanoka isn’t surprised, believing they’re finally reaping the rewards of working with coach Sead Ramovic. Sanoka also cautioned his teammates against complacency. 

“I think we have started so great... In fact for me it’s not something that has just started now. If you go back to our last eight games of the previous season, after coach Ramovic came in, I think that’s where things changed for us in terms of how we play football,” Sanoka said.

“Going forward I think it’s very important not to become too complacent; to think that now we’ve arrived because football is very cruel.”