Former Orlando Pirates captain Edward “Magents” Motale has called for a
supportive intervention around young star Relebohile Mofokeng, urging those
close to the player to guide him through the disappointment of a stalled
overseas transfer.
Despite strong links to clubs abroad, Mofokeng remains with the Buccaneers
while teammates like Mohau Nkota have secured moves. Speaking on the
sidelines of the Soweto Legends Derby launch at Ellis Park, Motale
emphasized the need for clear communication to protect the player’s mindset.
“Football is so funny. That is why that coach said football can kill you,
real death,” Motale told PSLSA. “If I was his parent or agent—I think he’s
still under parental guidance—I would take the boy, sit him down and say,
‘Look, that’s football.’ Football is come and go. People didn’t understand
when we left Pirates because they enjoyed our stay, they enjoyed our play.”
Motale pointed out that a transfer involves more than just talent. “We all
know that Rele was far better than them, the likes of Mohau Nkota, but Nkota
is gone. That’s because of certain qualities and certain luck. So, he must
just calm down… Work hard, you’re still young, you still have more years
to go abroad. You should not give up.”
The 1995 CAF Champions League-winning captain stressed that the
priority must be Mofokeng’s mental resilience. “What I’m trying to say is
that somebody must make him mentally strong. Whether it’s the parents,
whether it’s the agent, they must just make him mentally strong. That’s all.
Otherwise, if they don’t attend to that, we’re going to lose the
boy—mentally and physically.”
