During a recent chat in one of Mzansi’s leading podcasts, MacG’s Podcast, Teko Modise was simply asked to name his top five players of all time in SA.
The former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns ace hardly seemed to struggle for names. His list included some of the best ever stars in PSL books.
Modise listed Amakhosi’s former star Jabu “Shuffle” Pule, Bucs’ legend Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi and the under-celebrated Papi Zothwane of Golden Arrows fame.
The list also included… surprise, surprise… Doctor “16V” Khumalo and John “Shoes” Moshoeu – two of the greatest ever players since the generations of Patrick Ntsoelengwe and Jomo Sono.
MODISE EXPLAINS HIS CHOICES
“I will choose from the players I have watched play because Jomo Sono is the greatest ever,” Modise said to the host with a chuckle.
“I’d say Doctor, Moshoeu, Papi Zothwane, Benedict Vilakazi, and Jabu Pule.”
So what makes these names exactly special to Modise’s eyes? The Soweto-born player said it is all about the legacy left behind.
“There are a lot of great players but not many have changed and impacted the game. Jabu impacted the game in a way that coaches started believing that youngsters can actually do it,” the former Bafana Bafana star added.
“Jabu came with funny hairstyle and what-what. He was always awol but put him on the pitch and Jabu was different.”
Not many will know Papi Zothwane since he played most of his career out of the limelight at Golden Arrows. Though he did taste the big time when he joined Mamelodi Sundowns later in his career.
“Papi Zothwane was the guy that was playing in the same position I was playing in the national team. He was way better than me. I had to wait for my opportunity to play.
“He was one of those guys that I enjoyed watching him play. Of course, he never got the recognition that he deserved, but for me, he was one of those players.
As for Vilakazi being one of Modise’s favourites, the former Pirates midfielder represented a homeboy inspiration, that is of course Soweto’s Diepkloof.
“Tso Vilakazi, I used to watch him play when I was still in Diepkloof. We would walk to the ground and watch Tso play. The same things he was doing in the hood he was doing in the PSL.
“He was also one of those guys that gave us hope ko Diepkloof that if he can make it, so can we,” Modise concluded
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