Masilela backs Mako, Mashego as future Bafana left-backs

While Bafana Bafana have struggled to have an outright first-choice at left-back in recent months, the man who once made this position his own, Tsepo Masilela, doesn’t think this necessarily means there’s scarcity of talented left-backs in the country.

The debate that Bafana could struggle at left-back in the near future has also been fuelled by the fact that the most-capped left-backs in recent years in Sifiso Hlanti and injury-prone Innocent Maela, who’s Masilela’s half-brother, are already over 30.

That the current first-choice, Aubrey Modiba, is used in many other positions at his club Mamelodi Sundowns may also complicate things going forward. The 38-year-old Masilela, who hasn’t officially announced his retirement since he last played for AmaZulu in June last year, made 46 appearances for Bafana.

The former Chiefs star doesn’t reckon SA have a shortage of younger and capable left-backs, tipping Sundowns’ Terrence Mashego, Bongani Sam, who’s on loan at Swallows from Pirates and Paseka Mako of the Buccaneers as the future heirs to the left-back throne.

“We’ve got options but it depends on the coach. The game requires players that fit in the coach’s philosophy. Sometimes you can have a left-back who likes to surge forward and the coach wants the left-back who only go forward when he has the ball,” Masilela told Sowetan during a ceremony to celebrate Chiefs founder, Kaizer Motaung’s induction in the South African Hall of Fame, at FNB Stadium last Thursday.

“I really think we have enough players at left-back to help us in the future. Mashego was already in the set-up before he joined Sundowns [from Cape Town City in September last year] and I really believe in his potential. I think he’s one for the future alongside Sam. Those are two talented left-backs who’ve experience but who are also not that old. [Paseka] Pako as well can take the baton.”

Hlanti, 33, has played 25 games for Bafana and despite being off-form he has made preliminary squads in recent months. The 31-year-old Maela, who’s recovering after undergoing a corrective surgery on a niggling groin in September, has 15 Bafana caps.

Mashego, 25, has played five games for Bafana while Sam, who’s a year older, is capped once by the senior national side. The 29-year-old Mako, who last month suffered a PCL tear that has ruled out for up to six months, has also played once for Bafana. Before yesterday’s World Cup qualifier away to Rwanda, Modiba, 28, had played 16 games in Bafana colours.