CAPE TOWN – Ajax Cape Town’s famed youth academy will likely spring to the rescue again when coach Stanley Menzo has to find a replacement for suspended left-back Mosa Lebusa.
The Cape side travels to Port Elizabeth to face Chippa United in a PSL fixture on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm) – and, with the influential and consistent Lebusa unavailable, indications are that Menzo will again place his faith in 20-year-old Yagan Sasman.
The Ajax coach, schooled in the Ajax Amsterdam youth philosophy, is already responsible for the tremendous progress made by the team’s SA U20 star, Grant Margeman. In addition to Margeman, Sasman is the other youngster to benefit since Menzo took over as coach.
Sasman was promoted to the PSL squad two years ago, but hasn’t had a look-in, until Menzo came, and the coach handed the player his debut early last month.
“Sasman has already played twice this season, so I’m sure he can cope,” said Menzo.
“The good thing is always to check how a player’s teammates respond to his selection. With Sasman, the players are always positive and that is an indication that they have confidence in him.”
As for Chippa, Menzo’s not too sure what to expect, especially after the PE club placed coach Dan Malesela on “special leave” and replaced him with Mbuyiselo Sambu.
“Chippa are struggling now and they have changed their coach as well. So let’s see what they bring. They are usually a team that likes to play short passes with good combinations, so I don’t expect that it will be all that different. There will probably be small changes, but they remain a dangerous team to under-estimate. The important thing is that we have to control the game, and keep the ball for as long as possible.”