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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Okon is in his debut PSL season </li><li>He is eligible to play for Bafana or Nigeria </li><li>Hlatshwayo urges him to choose SA </li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Ex-Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo threatens to 'stop helping rebel' Ime Okon if SuperSport United wonderkid chooses Nigeria over South Africa

Johannesburg-born central defender Ime Okon is in his debut<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/premier-soccer-league/yv73ms6v1995b5wny16jcfi3" target="_blank"> Premier Soccer League</a> season and immediately turned himself into a SuperSport United regular.The 20-year-old was even entrusted with the armband in the Caf Confederation Cup match against Mordern Future earlier in March. So impressive has been Okon that Bafana Bafana legend <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/sa-should-be-careful-bafana-bafana-and-nigeria-eligible-defender-can-be-better-than-lucas-radebe-and-mark-fish-andre-arendse/bltb1fd583dfdd46486" target="_blank">Andre Arendse is convinced the defender has the potential to become better than Lucas Radebe.</a>Being eligible to play for both Nigeria and South Africa, Okon has yet to publicly declare his international allegiance although Bafana coach Hugo Broos has twice before included him in his preliminary squads.

WHAT HAPPENED?

“I have told him he needs to stay in South Africa because it will be difficult for him to crack the Nigeria national team,” Hlatshwayo told reporters.“To be able to crack the Nigerian national team, he needs to play in Europe — but we need him in Bafana Bafana."When you look at our centre backs, Mothobi Mvala has injuries, there is also Grant Kekana and Siyanda Xulu — and I read Siyabonga Ngezana had an issue with his travel documents, but I don’t know what is happening there. His father is from Nigeria and mother from South Africa," the experienced defender added."He grew up here, he studied here and coach Gavin Hunt took him from Randburg Football Club. He is South African and he speaks Afrikaans.“He is a rebel, every time there is Afcon, when Nigeria is playing he is with Nigeria and when South Africa is playing against Nigeria we have a lot of banter in the team," he continued."I told him I am going to stop helping him if he chooses to play for Nigeria because there are things in his game that need to be polished.“The more he plays, the more experience he is going to get and he will do well. I don't know if it has something to do with him being young but he is quick and strong and we complement one another very well.”

WHAT HLATSHWAYO SAID

Breaking into the Bafana squad could prove to be a difficult task for Okon with competition getting stiffer. Orlando Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki has been consistent and made his Bafana debut <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/new-look-bafana-bafana-bounce-back-to-secure-draw-against-lowly-ranked-andorra-ahead-of-algeria-clash/blt7897b123ee1aa2d9" target="_blank">against Andorra on Thursday.</a>Siyabonga Ngezana is now trusted by Broos while there are already Grant Kekana, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Siyanda Xulu and Mothobi Mvala who have cemented their places in the team.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

After twice being previously included in Broos' preliminary squads, Okon was ignored for the current camp.Interestingly, the next Bafana grouping will be preparing for a game against Nigeria in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

WHAT NEXT FOR OKON?

Ex-Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo threatens to 'stop helping rebel' Ime Okon if SuperSport United wonderkid chooses Nigeria over South Africa | Goal.com Uganda

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Ex-Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo threatens to &apos;stop helping rebel&apos; Ime Okon if SuperSport United wonderkid chooses Nigeria over South Africa

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