Veteran coach Joel Masilela explains how Mamelodi Sundowns were convinced to sign 'clumsy, slow and very lazy' Malibongwe Khoza

Mamelodi Sundowns promoted defender Malibongwe Khoza to the first team this season, and the central defender has been a regular player.

Seasoned coach Joel Masilela opens up on how he discovered Khoza before he turned.

“I said let’s give him an opportunity to grow. He was clumsy, slow, and very lazy. That was Mali,” Masilela told FARPost.

 “He had potential, even though he looked the way I was just explaining. But you could see he’s got potential. That’s one thing that kept my eye on him.

“He was still a baby. He still needed teachings in a lot of things, and he would then be a better player. I told Veli [Hoogstander] that, ‘look, we’re working with kids.'

"Some, when you looked at them, you could see, this one will never play football.  But when you train him, working with him every day, you could see we’re making progress, he’s improving," added the veteran coach.

"So, he [Khoza] did the same. When he arrived, then I gave him a chance. Then I said, okay, let me register him.”

Khoza is enjoying his debut playing Premier Soccer League football as well as in the Caf Champions League.

The lanky defender has managed to satisfy expectations on him even in big matches.

He has been fighting for game time against established players like Grant Kekana, Lucas Suarez, Rivaldo Coetzee, Mosa Lebusa and Mothobi Mvala, who has been battling fitness issues.

Masandawana were due to face Sekhukhune in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals, but that match has been postponed.

Besides vying for the PSL title, the Nedbank Cup and the Champions League are opportunities for Khoza to lift major silverware in the Brazilians colours this season.