Mokoena, who earned a record 107 caps for South Africa, feels the players that played in the COSAFA Cup will benefit the national team in the future, but we mustn’t call them youngsters.
Bafana coach Stuart Baxter's experimental squad came fifth at the regional competition, ending their campaign with a 1-0 win over Namibia in the Plate final in the North West last week.
“I think it’s important to understand what are we saying when we say youngster. [It’s] so important to understand what we are saying when we say youngster," says Mokoena.
“Once you wear that national jersey, you [are] no longer a youngster. A youngster for me is that young one who is still under development, you know.
“Maybe we can rephrase that I say inexperience, you know. Yes, experience you need to graduate. Experience you need to play more games and get to understand how to do things in football.
“These players [who played in the COSAFA Cup] have to be blessed to work with Stuart Baxter, one of the experienced managers not only in South Africa. He showed what he can do for South African football and locally he showed.
“We just got to give him that support so he can be able to give the inexperienced players proper experience.”
Bafana next visit Botswana in a CHAN qualifier first leg match scheduled for Saturday July 15 at Francistown Stadium, with the return duel a week later at Moruleng Stadium.