The true attributes of Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha have been disclosed following his first ever Bafana Bafana call-up.
Hugo Broos has taken notice of the shifts that Mbatha has been putting in midfield for Pirates since his arrival on loan from SuperSport United at the beginning of the year.
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The lanky player has shown the qualities of a modern central midfielder who gets his hands dirty when that duty calls and yet is also able to remain effective with the ball at his feet playing both short and long.
While Broos has embraced what Jose Riveiro has seen, it was Owen da Gama who opened the doors for Mbatha at Highlands Park just before COVID brought the world to a standstill.
"He plays like a ballerina, he is just a beautiful player to watch playing because he can pass to the left and right, making his vision unbelievable," commends Da Gama.
"The boy plays with pace on the ball.
"What happened at SuperSport was never going to define who he is, and the proof is in what is happening at Pirates.
"Imagine with little game-time at SuperSport, Pirates still saw something special.
"I think he has a bright future as long as he remains level-headed and focuses on football.
"What I like about him is that while being humble, he is a stubborn boy in a good way because he just doesn't listen to anyone.
"He is cheeky.
"His style is not about flamboyance but doing the job behind the scenes, working hard for the benefit of the functionality of the popular players.
"This is a player who can go and play overseas," says Da Gama, while noting how Mbatha arrived at Highlands.
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"I think the boy was recommended to us and being someone who always has an open mind to kids, I said let him come.
"All of this was done with Allan Freese and Larry Brookstone, but unfortunately the team was sold.
"He was going to be an integral part of Highlands, which is why he moved to SuperSport and is now at Pirates," explains Da Gama.