Orlando Pirates legend Jerry Sikhosana has advised striker Tshegofatso Mabasa to continue working hard and not get discouraged by his recent omission from the Bafana Bafana squad.
Mabasa was overlooked for Bafana's preliminary squad to face Nigeria and Zimbabwe in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers next month by coach Hugo Broos despite enjoying great form for the Buccaneers recently.
The 27-year-old is currently the leading goal scorer with 15 goals in the DStv Premiership but did not make the squad.
"Mabasa played for Pirates before. He was loaned (to Sekhukhune and Swallows) and then he came back to Pirates and he is lucky to get that chance," Sikhosana told the media during the opening of Siyabonga Sangweni Sports Complex in KwaZulu-Natal.
"Maybe the change of fortunes is with him. He didn't do well for Pirates before he was loaned to Moroka Swallows and Sekhukhune United before they brought him back [in January].
"He is doing well now and I'm just grateful for him because he is there and taking the team to another level.
"Let's give credit to him because sometimes the change of attitude brings in you how you want to do things better. I mean, if I'm standing here and not doing good, obviously people will turn their back on me.
"He had his chances, he was taken out and he came back and I'm grateful to him. He is doing a good job for Pirates now."
Sikhosana, 54, added it's not the end of the world for Mabasa as he was also called to the national team in the past but didn't play despite doing well for his club.
"For me, when I got into the national team, I never played the first game because we were so many and we were introduced to the team just to be there and look at the people who were there," he said.
"And I was scoring a lot of goals for Pirates, but I was not thrown into the deep end because you see a better player at a club level but when you put him in the national team that's where he is destroyed because that's where he gets too much attention from a lot of people."
Bafana will play Nigeria on June 7 away and Zimbabwe on June 11 at the Free State Stadium.
Mabasa told to chin up after Bafana snub
Sikhosana urges striker to work harder as he waits his turn
Image: Veli Nhlapo
Orlando Pirates legend Jerry Sikhosana has advised striker Tshegofatso Mabasa to continue working hard and not get discouraged by his recent omission from the Bafana Bafana squad.
Mabasa was overlooked for Bafana's preliminary squad to face Nigeria and Zimbabwe in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers next month by coach Hugo Broos despite enjoying great form for the Buccaneers recently.
The 27-year-old is currently the leading goal scorer with 15 goals in the DStv Premiership but did not make the squad.
"Mabasa played for Pirates before. He was loaned (to Sekhukhune and Swallows) and then he came back to Pirates and he is lucky to get that chance," Sikhosana told the media during the opening of Siyabonga Sangweni Sports Complex in KwaZulu-Natal.
"Maybe the change of fortunes is with him. He didn't do well for Pirates before he was loaned to Moroka Swallows and Sekhukhune United before they brought him back [in January].
"He is doing well now and I'm just grateful for him because he is there and taking the team to another level.
"Let's give credit to him because sometimes the change of attitude brings in you how you want to do things better. I mean, if I'm standing here and not doing good, obviously people will turn their back on me.
"He had his chances, he was taken out and he came back and I'm grateful to him. He is doing a good job for Pirates now."
Sikhosana, 54, added it's not the end of the world for Mabasa as he was also called to the national team in the past but didn't play despite doing well for his club.
"For me, when I got into the national team, I never played the first game because we were so many and we were introduced to the team just to be there and look at the people who were there," he said.
"And I was scoring a lot of goals for Pirates, but I was not thrown into the deep end because you see a better player at a club level but when you put him in the national team that's where he is destroyed because that's where he gets too much attention from a lot of people."
Bafana will play Nigeria on June 7 away and Zimbabwe on June 11 at the Free State Stadium.
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