Former Orlando Pirates winger Lebohang “Cheeseboy” Mokoena has advised Durban City midfielder Brooklyn Poggenpoel to choose Kaizer Chiefs if he decides to leave the club.
Poggenpoel, 27, made an impressive Bafana Bafana debut and is now attracting attention from clubs in the Premier Soccer League. Mokoena believes the midfielder has the ability to establish himself at a leading club, but says Kaizer Chiefs would offer him a clearer route to regular first-team football than Pirates.
“I spoke about him once he made the preliminary squad that he is one player for the future, and this is what I like about Poggenpoel, he was well developed. It’s very rare that we find players who came through the academies and make it all the way to the senior team,” Mokoena said on Soccerbeat.
Poggenpoel entered the match as a substitute for Bathusi Aubaas and impressed during his first appearance for the national team. Mokoena was particularly encouraged by the midfielder’s approach and believes he has the qualities needed to remain involved with Bafana Bafana.
“His performance for Bafana when he replaced Aubaas, he showed Pitso that he’s here to stay. He is really aggressive in the midfield, he reminds me of his brother.”
Mokoena questioned whether Poggenpoel would receive enough playing time at Pirates, given the competition for places in their midfield.
“At Pirates, you look at a lot of players like Makhaula, Selepe, there’s Dansin and some of them are not getting regular game time. If he goes to Pirates, what are the chances of him playing?”
He instead identified Chiefs as a club where Poggenpoel could immediately challenge for a starting place. Mokoena says the club is still building its team and has yet to settle on a consistent winning combination.
“At Chiefs, Kaizer Chiefs is a team under construction and they are still trying to find a winning combination. I will take Poggenpoel to Chiefs because he is able to play.
“He can participate in the build-up as he is technically gifted. He is much better than Mthethwa in terms of technical ability, he won’t just lose the ball.”
Poggenpoel’s emergence on the international stage has intensified discussion about his future. His Bafana Bafana debut could increase interest in the midfielder from some of South Africa’s biggest clubs, with Mokoena now making the case for a move to Kaizer Chiefs rather than Orlando Pirates.
