Ex-Kaizer Chiefs forward identifies the next Orlando Pirates captain - 'He was born to be a leader'

Former Kaizer Chiefs forward Junior Khanye has tipped Mbekezeli Mbokazi to become Orlando Pirates captain in the future.

Khanye says the defender has natural leadership skills and that he is also self-driven, traits that make one a dependable player.

His physique and game-reading abilities are also attributes that make Khanye tip the youngster to develop into a skipper in the future.

“He’s a future captain of Pirates, this boy Mbokazi,” Khanye told iDiski TV, as quoted by iDiski Times.

“He has leadership skills, and you know how sometimes they say you are born for something; he was born to be a leader. Some of the things he does do not need coaching.

"The boy gets in the midfield with the ball, just driving for about 30m with the ball on his feet. His ball control, how he’s able to protect it and force a foul or even delay until his teammates get into the Golden Arrows half and then hit a decisive pass," he added.

“Well done to the boy. Like I said, he has leadership skills, and if you can look at this boy even at the back, he is helping [Tapelo] Xoki a lot. So many mistakes from Xoki for me and always being late.

"I know he’s a senior player, but the boy has quality; he is strong on his feet, his awareness, anticipation, a lot of things, and how he communicates—well done to the boy."

Despite his age, Mbokazi has shown the potential to grow into a top player and leader.

His performances at the back have been linked with his composure and the ability to read opponents' moves before making decisive interventions.

He has been partnered with either Nkosinathi Sibisi, one of the captains in the team, or Xoki, which means he has the right people around him to learn from.

He has also been involved in high-profile games for Pirates; he played against USM Alger in the Caf Champions League at the quarterfinal before he featured against Pyramids at the semifinal.

The defender was also part of the squad that faced Chiefs in the Soweto Derby within a week. The fact that he maintained calmness in all these games means he will be a key asset for the Sea Robbers, should he choose to be part of them in the long term.

Given that Pirates are set for a new coach, the defender will eagerly wait to see whether he will enjoy prominence as he did under Jose Riveiro.

Meanwhile, Pirates have four games remaining before they conclude their season. They are set to face TS Galaxy, SuperSport United, AmaZulu, and Magesi, all in May.