Exclusive: Thabo Nthethe Unsure Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s MLS Move Is the Right Career Step

Former Bafana Bafana defender Thabo Nthethe expressed his disappointment at current head coach Hugo Broos for bashing star defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi in a public platform, but believes the coach is spot on in saying Mbokazi’s move to the MLS may have both been immature and encouraged by his agents’ interest instead of Mbokazi’s career.

Thabo hits back at Broos

Broos absolutely buttered the 19-year-old Mbokazi in front of the country’s reporters in Pretoria, expressing that he was not pleased with Mbokazi arriving late at the national team’s camp.

Mbokazi had apparently missed his flight from Durban to Johannesburg, thus missing a whole day at camp, as the team assembled for the Ghana friendly match, before the African Cup Of Nations.

Nthethe did not hold back during his exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, as he highlighted that he was not impressed with Broos for bashing the youngster in public.

“I wouldn't be happy to hear my coach speak like that about me. I mean, to the nation at large, it now looks like I'm losing respect. I don't respect my teammates, I don't respect the coaches as a technical team and I don't respect the nation as a whole,” Nthethe told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.

“So that's the feeling that I would get. I mean, the coach to speak like that about him, obviously, I think the boy can not be happy with that.”

What really happened?

Nthethe added that there is a reason behind Mbokazi’s late arrival at camp and that there should have been communication from the play, his agent and everyone involved.

Nthethe believes that Mbokazi is by no-means big-headed.

“Honestly, I think with the situation of Mbokazi, him missing a flight in Durban, I think there is something that made him miss that flight and now he missed that flight after he just signed with Chicago in the MLS. So, a lot of people will talk and I heard also the coach, how he spoke about him, that he won't tolerate that,” Nthethe said.

“I think Mbokazi needs to be honest because this thing only happens now and it's the first time that Mbokazi missed a flight or came late at the national team camp. Now, when he comes late like this and give the Chicago deal, and that he's leaving Pirates, a lot of people will say he might be big-headed or stuff like that.

“But I think there is a reason behind all this. I don't want to say the boy is big-headed and that he's just doing as he pleases.

“That’s why I'm saying he just needs to be honest with the coach and the rest of the team because the team needed him to be at camp and was not there. There was supposed to be a communication.”

Mbokazi-Chicago Deal

Nthethe agreed with Broos that perhaps Mbokazi’s move to the Chicago Fire in USA was premature and that the agent may have thought of financial benefits more.

Because Bafana and Mbokazi will have all the eyes of the world watching them in this year’s FIFA World Cup, Broos and Nthethe were in agreement that waiting to play the World Cup before going abroad may have been the right move.

“Honestly, I felt, I told one of my friends that I would have loved actually to see Mbokazi playing in the PSL this season again, playing because he didn't have enough time,” Nthethe said.

“But so far he has done well. But give him more time and experience to see if he is going to be consistent because games are not the same throughout the season so it is important to see how he handles things, especially when things are not going on his way and he is faced with adversity."

“That’s what I would loved to see happening, him being around in South Africa and then the following season, then, I mean, if he's doing well, he can get even a better team in a better country."

“Him living now, I think the agents also, they may have seen the money and they didn't want to waste time.”