SuperSport United Can Get Even Better
Gavin Hunt celebrates yet another League title for SuperSport
Ever thought where three-time defending Absa Premiership champions SuperSport United could be in five years’ time?
Their current average age is 23. So even with this particular title-winning squad, time is on their side.
But what most football supporters don’t know is that brimming below the first team is, what insiders say, the most exciting Under-17 set up since the group of Kermit Erasmus, Masibusane Zongo and Philani Khwela.
SuperSport’s Director of Football Stan Matthews hopes that by 2012 “about half the first team squad would have come through our youth academy”.
Picture this: Players who joined the club’s academy aged 13 would have had 5 or 6 years of learning SuperSport’s way. They would have gone overseas through the club’s foreign links, gained experience and enjoyed high level coaching.
So if the club loses some if its key first teamers, like they have before, the champions have some exciting youngsters coming through to fill the void.
The club are fortunate to have “two unbelievably exciting goalkeepers”, says Matthews, in Sherwyn Naicker and Ronwen Williams.
According to those in the know, both are expected to play in the PSL and go on to have very successful goalkeeping careers.
Established centreback Bongani Khumalo is still only 23, I needn’t say more, and Bongani Zulu from the national Under 20 set up, is seen as the club’s “next Ricardo Katza”.
Fullback or central defender Rudi Isaacs is also 23 and Davies Nkasau 22 while a promising left back is in already in the making.
He is Karaba Masehele, who is on loan at FC Cape Town, and will re-join Matsatsantsa in July. Masehele is described as strong with a good left foot, and can even play centre back.
In right midfield, 20-year-old Thabo Moleko has blistering pace – a Dikgang Mabalane type prospect.
On the left side SuperSport believe they have the next Daine Klate already waiting. Lyle Lakay has been on loan at FC Cape Town sharpening his left foot in the NFD ranks.
But there’s also Tebogo Langerman (23) on the left and don’t forget Zongo who remains one of the best talents to have come through the Tshwane club.
In midfield there is this season’s rising star Thandani Ntshumayelo, who at age 19 has looked very comfortable in the Absa Premiership.
But the club is very healthy in this department. They actually have three central midfielders in the academy, all expected to knock on the first team door in the next few years.
Mbuso Manyoni, Keegan Buchanan (both of whom Kick Off has profiled in its Road to 2014 magazine feature) and Miguel Timm are outstanding players.
In attack, there is Thabo Mongalo and Thulani Ngcepe for the future. Potentially they’re a good pair to take over from Glen Salmon and Brian Umony.
Why? Because Mongalo has the ability to hold the ball up and Ngcepe likes to make angled runs off a target striker.
There you have it. SuperSport’s five-year plan to remain a winning club!
And it will cost them far less than most clubs in today’s world, where football businesses often make big losses.
With salary structures capped and the club not willing to break their policy, SuperSport’s excellent youth academy becomes priority number one.
Neil Greig
Courtesy of Kick Off
Loading ...
