Making peace and moving on following his shock departure from Mamelodi Sundowns last year is what helped Lyle Lakay resurrect his career at SuperSport United this season.

This is according to the player, who also revealed that his exit from Sundowns left him hurt after being loyal to the club and left soon after winning the Defender of the Season award in the 2021/22 campaign.

Lakay joined Matsatsantsa a Pitori in August last year, signing a two-year deal after spending six years with the DStv Premiership champions.  However, the player is now enjoying his football again.

"We know at Sundowns the trains move... whether you like it or not. If you don't perform today, tomorrow someone else will take your position and you go to the back of the line," Lakay told the media during the SuperSport United and the department of correctional services' Twinning Project launch at Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria yesterday.

"You know how the situation at Sundowns is ... three or four players in one position. I spoke to coach Rulani Mokwena afterward when I came back from Cape Town City [where he was on loan before joining SuperSport] and he gave me his reasons.

"I respected that because he is the coach and it's his decision [to let me go]. But in saying that, I was disappointed because of the way it happened. But I had to make peace with it.

"If I didn't make peace with it, I don't think I would have been here today. Maybe I would still be dwelling on that, and that would have affected my performance."

Lakay, 32, said he would have stayed at Sundowns and continued earning a big salary as he was still contracted for three more years, but he wanted to play football.

He has already made 27 appearances for SuperSport this season, with four goals and five assists across all competitions. "I still had a contract with Sundowns when I left. But I was training with the guys who were not in the [coach's] plans. We were training with the Motsepe League team [M-Tigers]. I didn't like it, but if you are honest, it happens everywhere," he said.

Meanwhile, the Twinning Project is an innovative educational initiative designed to drive social change through football. The main aim is to reduce re-offending rates by connecting each correctional centre with a local professional football club.