Bafana Bafana star Teboho Mokoena recently spoke about the significant role Stuart Baxter played in kickstarting his career.
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Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana midfield general, Teboho Mokoena heaped praise on his former coach, Stuart Baxter on the impact he had during the early stages of his professional career.
Mokoena quickly rose through the ranks at SuperSport United's academy and made his Premier Soccer League debut at the Tshwane outfit during the 2015/16.
It was Baxter that oversaw Mokoena's promotion to Matsatsantsa's first team, with the Englishman also giving the 27-year-old his national team debut in 2018, a 2-0 win over Zambia in an international friendly.
"He's the first person who gave me that first call-up and debut at Bafana. I remember the day he left the team [SuperSport], I was very emotional, I didn't cry but I was emotional," admits Mokoena, who went on to represent The Spartans more than 150 times.
Mokoena thanked his former coach, Baxter, for playing a pivotal role in changing his football career by not only giving him the chance to represent the national team but also showing him the love that most young talents need when starting out.
"He actually changed my life because after that game [Bafana debut], I managed to be a regular at SuperSport," Mokoena told his former teammate, Michael Morton at a Bafana press conference in Cape Town ahead of their final AFCON qualifier against South Sudan on Tuesday.
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