JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 15: Teboho Mokoena of Mamelodi Sundowns during the DStv Premiership match between Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns at Dobsonville Stadium on April 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has opened up the door for Teboho Mokoena’s return to the club’s matchday squad in future; however, he has hinted at a possible positional switch for the influential midfielder.
Since taking over the reins at the Brazilians, Mngqithi has stressed the importance of Mokoena – who recently signed a new contract – to the club’s cause.
However, the coach has made it clear that Mokoena, like all other players, would have to fight for their place in the team, which has seen the midfielder left on the sidelines for Sundowns’ recent matches, including their 2-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs last weekend.
The emergence of Rivaldo Coetzee has also contributed to Mokoena’s absence from the Downs’ starting XI, with Mngqithi preferring ‘Riva’ over ‘Tebza’ as the club’s holding midfielder for the time being.
It is for this reason that the coach has hinted at a possible adjustment in position for Mokoena, with a more offensive role in mind.
“I wouldn’t really want to say anything negative about ‘Riva’. Ever since he has played as a six – and he has played as a six for us in the past. He is a very, very good player technically and can use both left and right comfortably. He reads the game very well. He is one of the best leaders we have in the team. He is not often quite unaware of what is happening around him because he scans a lot. I rate him very highly as a six and as a six I also don’t want someone who moves a lot and open that hole. I want somebody that is a little bit stable. That’s why I prefer to play with three central midfielders so that the eights can confront whatever situation, but the six is always a pivot in front of the last line,” he told journalists after the Chiefs win.
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“Tebza is a very good player, but he might also even help us as an eight. Because of his dynamism, his ability to score, his aggression might be even more important for us going forward, but he is also a very good six for us.
“But make no mistake, Rivaldo, technically is one of the best players I’ve ever worked with, so I will always have him in my thoughts because I believe he is. He’s very good in his space, but you cannot even compare the two players because also their profiles are very different,” he said.
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