SUPERSPORT UNITED midfielder Teboho Mokoena was supposed to be in Tokyo, Japan, as we speak, representing the SA Under-23 national team at the Olympic Games.
But the biggest global sporting event is one of the postponed events due to the coronvirus outbreak.
The 23-year-old talented footballer played a pivotal role in helping coach David Notoane’s Young Bafana team to book a place at the Olympics in Asia.
Said Mokoena, who was looking forward to the Games: “I worked hard to help the team qualify for the Games.
“I wanted to go there and use the platform to market myself in front of European scouts.
“I would love to see myself playing in Europe someday and was looking forward to being in Japan.
“I’ve been thinking about the Games a lot this week.”
Mokoena will be 24 years old by the time the Games kick off in the capital city of Japan next year. But Fifa has extended the age limit to 24 from 23 following the Games’ postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the world,
“I’ll be gutted if I don’t go to the Games next year. It’s always been my dream to debut at the Olympic Games since we qualified.
“I’ll be sad if I don’t go and my best bet of going to Tokyo is to continue working very hard at club level and at Bafana Bafana.
Speaking after his training session at Matsatsantsa a Pitori this week, Mokoena told SunSport he was slowly getting used to training in a small group of five players.
“We just have to get used to the new reality, and the faster we get used to this kind of training, the better for us all.”
Mokoena said the players go through screening and are encouraged to always stay at home after training to minimise the chances of getting infected.
The modest footballer also pleaded with the Premier Soccer League not to declare the season null and void.
“As players and as a team, we prefer to finish the season and play 30 games,” he said.
“We didn’t come back to training for anything else, but finish the season.
“Finishing the season is a matter of principle.
“Everyone of us wants to see where their teams will finish on the log.
“It’s only fair to finish the season in the field of play and not inside the boardroom.
“That’s my biggest wish and my plea to the powers that be,” said Mokoena.
