SEDIBENG.- Where have they gone?

This is a question that many local soccer fans ask themselves about those youngsters who made headlines in the top-flight football when promoted to the senior teams by their respective PSL teams.

Sabelo Radebe (On loan to Richards Bay from Kaizer Chiefs), Lebohang Lesako (Kaizer Chiefs), and Kamohelo Mahlatsi (Swallows/Kaizer Chiefs) were some of the Vaal youngsters who were in the spotlight when promoted to the senior teams. However, the above-mentioned youngsters have since disappeared from top-flight football. Lesako and Radebe were both promoted to the Chiefs senior team, but the two struggled to command a regular place in the team.

To make it interesting, Lesako made headlines when he was voted into the starting lineup of the Carling Black Label Cup that featured Chiefs and Orlando Pirates three seasons ago. This showed how popular he was among Chiefs fans. As if this is not enough, these two youngsters from Vaal were part of the Chiefs teams that participated in the CAF Champions League final.

Much was expected from them, but they “failed” to live up to the standard, with Kaizer Chiefs continuing to struggle. Sedibeng Ster Sport spotted some of those forgotten youngsters playing in the Motsepe Foundation Championship League.

Kamohelo Mahlatsi joined Chiefs from Swallows, but just like Radebe and Lesako, he spent most of the time kicking his heels in frustration on the bench or the stand. He played a few official games for Chiefs, mostly coming in as a substitute.

The next thing, he was gone!

Meanwhile, Thapelo Maseko, who happens to come from Vaal, is another player who made headlines when he joined Mamelodi Sundowns from SuperSport United. He was the best player for Sundowns at one stage, but now he spends most of the time on the bench and on the stand. He was even part of the Bafana Bafana team at one stage, but he had hardly been on the field.