Almost 10 years ago, Pule Mmodi was already a stand-out performer playing in the Free State Stars feeder teams due to his intelligence on the field and awareness.
Yet for all the sparks and thrills in his game playing in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge and ABC Motsepe League, Mmodi just couldn't break through to the first team and ultimately left frustrated for Mangaung United from where he then spotted by Uthongathi before joining Golden Arrows where he spent three years.
LIVE | DStv Prem transfer window - Teams facing final push to strengthen squads
Mmodi – who hails from the Free State town of Theunissen – has since joined Kaizer Chiefs as a 30-year-old and with no time to waste scored a brace in his fourth appearance for AmaKhosi over the weekend.
"Pule was amongst the boys who would just come for trials and after being selected played in the MDC and ABC Motsepe League simultaneously for us at Free State while I was there," says David Vilakazi, who worked in the coaching ranks of Free State Stars at the time.
"I have always given him my backing because I always knew his potential and now that he is at the big stage, he deserves all of it.
"The boy has worked his socks off to get to where he is now and now is the time to reap the rewards.
"Pule was always exceptional from back then and disciplined but was unfortunate that he couldn't make it to the Free State Stars senior team.
"When I took over the Motsepe League team the boy was marvellous.
"He was very clever and unbelievably with the things that he could do on the ball.
"That is why I'm saying he was merely unfortunate that he couldn't make it into the Free State Stars first team and by the time the team was relegated he was gone.
"However, I still insist the boy was unfortunate.
"He just couldn't break into the Free State first team because the focus was on experienced players, and it was difficult for him to break through.
"The only reason why he had to leave was because of the age-related issues because he was already over 21 at the time and couldn't play in the Multichoice team anymore.
"Remember, he was already 20 in 2013 and two years later was 22 but had still not broken into the first team..
"Pule was genuinely unfortunate that the first team midfield was packed with experience and those are the players that the coach we had at the time believed in.
"Even when I as an assistant coach in the senior team, I also felt we were not brave in giving all these boys coming up a chance.
"In that group at Free State Stars there was also Tebogo Potsane and Papi (Nyiko Mobbie) amongst others," says Vilakazi.
You must be Sign In to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!