SEDIBENG.- Most youngsters who at one stage in their careers looked promising are now nowhere to be found.

The likes of Lebohang Lesako, Sabelo Radebe, and Kamohelo Mahlatsi are some of the youngsters whose football careers were skyrocketing, but they just disappeared from top-flight football.

Fomer Orlando Pirates playmaker, the dreadlocked China Masondo’s story reminds yours truly, Zakes’ Sports Corner, about the above-mentioned youngsters. Much was said and written about them when they were promoted to the PSL senior teams, but ironically, some of them are now playing at the lower divisions while others are loaned to some of the PSL clubs.

Back to ‘China’ Masondo, he was made to rot on the bench at Orlando Pirates because of his so called “paper weight”. Despite his exceptional talent, for some, Masondo was not good enough because of his small physique and the world was robbed of witnessing this talent.

Masondo made headlines when he was promoted to the Pirates senior team but unfortunately, he was always on the sidelines watching his teammates either from the bench or the stands.  For starters, ‘China’ Masondo was one of the best talents to come out of this region, but he spent most of his football career watching his peers playing while he was rotting on the bench.

He was hailed as one of the best left-footed players to have come from Vaal.

Zakes’ Sports Corner can only wish and hope that those youngsters (mentioned above) won’t be lost to South African football just like Masondo.

There is no doubt that Vaal is blessed when it comes to talent, but sadly, it always ends nowhere!

At the moment, Relebohile Mofokeng is the only youngster from this region who is making headlines every week. Thapelo Maseko was another youngster who made headlines last year for Mamelodi Sundowns, but just like those above-mentioned youngsters, he has not been featuring in any Sundowns’ games lately.

Much was said and written about Maseko when he joined Sundowns, but he is now forgotten.  Zakes’ Sports Corner witnessed a lot of talent coming from this region but disappeared from top-flight football at an early age.

The question is, what went wrong?