Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele has opened up about signing his teenage son for the club, saying the boy was signed on merit not just because he is the boss’s son.
Sixteen-year-old Seboledi Mphahlele was among the 11 new faces announced by the club in Lebowakgomo on Saturday ahead of the new Motsepe Foundation Championship season.
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The attacking midfielder had been playing for Baroka feeder side Diphuthi FC in the LFA prior to this signing.
The Bakgaga boss says Seboledi attended trials like any other player his age, however as the chairman he was impartial and he didn’t even make the recommendation to his coaches.
“I don’t want to take sides, I’m partial. He was not selected by me,” Mphahlele told the media.
“He was selected by the coach, the players, technical team and the supporters. Everybody was happy with him during the trials. I didn’t tell them he is my son.
“Actually I was sitting with one of the oldest supporters of Baroka FC, who also happens to own a football club here.
“He was always mentioning him and when it [trials] ended that’s when he knew that the boy he was mentioning is my son. So he is actually here on merit. He is not here because he is my son but he can play football, he can play good football.”
Meanwhile Bakgaga coach Morgan Mammila told this publication that the teenager is a top player who is hungry and serious about football. The coach went to say he is the one who signed the player and he will definitely play.
“Top player,” Mammila told IDiski Times.
“I am the one who actually told the chairman that I want to sign the boy. The boy didn’t even have an ID [card]. So I had to ask him to go and apply for an ID on Friday and I asked him on Tuesday. The following day he didn’t come to training he was already at Home Affairs trying to get an ID.
“It shows that he is serious about football. And one thing for sure you don’t even feel that you are coaching the chairman’s son. He trains like he is hungry it looks good. Top player, he is going to play.”
