JOHANNESBURG – The congratulations that SuperSport United’s Sipho Mbule received yesterday at the PSL Offices in Parktown, Johannesburg startled the midfield.
“I didn’t know that I had won the (PSL) Player of the Month award for November,” Mbule said.
“They (the club) just told me that I have an interview here. When I came here, people were saying congratulations. I was shocked and like, ‘What are you talking about?’ That’s when I heard it that I had won this award.
I am very happy to have won this award for the first time. But I think that the credit must go to my teammates, they have been pushing me and advising me what to do and what not to do. To the coach (Kaitano Tembo) as well, he has really been good to us. The season hasn’t been what we want it to be, but we will do better in the second round.”
The 21-year-old was joined by Kaizer Chiefs’ Ernst Middendorp who won the Coach of the Month for a record third successive time this season. No other coach has done that before. Middendorp received the award thanks to his team’s high-flying start that will see them go into the festive break at the top of the league standings.
#AbsaPrem Player of the Month winner: Sipho Mbule
He wins his first individual award in the #AbsaPrem.
Congratulations to Sipho !!
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) December 17, 2019
Mbule got his award thanks to his starring role in SuperSport’s midfield. The young midfielder was eased into the senior team setup last year and didn’t feature much, but he has matured and has become a colossal figure this season, not only pulling the strings in midfield but also scoring crucial goals for Matsatsantsa.
“What has kept me grounded is being with good friends,” Mbule said. “Friends that I know aren’t going to drag me down. The person that I am with all the time is Teboho Mokoena. I must also give him the credit for being here today, I am always with him and we do the right things together.”
Mbule and Mokoena have formed a deadly combination in midfield, leading SuperSport to victory in the MTN8 final earlier this season. They also helped the SA Under-23 qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
“Playing the Afcon and qualifying for Tokyo was a great stepping stone for many of us,” Mbule said.