Shouting has been a problem for me – Madisha

Part of last season’s Young Player-of-the-Year’s challenges was garnering the courage to yell instructions at seasoned and senior players such as the likes of club captain Hlompho Kekana, Wayne Arendse, Bangaly Soumahoro – just to name a few.

“Communication was my biggest challenge because I wasn’t very vocal,” said the 23-year-old Madisha.

“I wasn’t telling them when they were making mistakes but this season I think I have improved a little bit.
Positional wise also, I am still working on it even though the season is ending but I have to work on it and keep going forward.

“I was still young and I told myself that I can shout at them because they are older than me and I have to have the respect. But they told me at the beginning of the season that if I have to shout I have to shout and that is one thing I have been working on,” he added.

This season, Madisha is poised with a new challenge of having to slot in at the right-back position instead of his usual centre-back position.

“For me it has been one of those challenges whereby I have to jell and play at right-back. Our right-backs have been suffering from injuries… the likes of Anele Ngcongca and Thapelo Morena. I couldn’t say I am not a right back, I can’t play there. I had to take responsibility and play.

“They expect much of you (at right-back), you have to work extra hard then usual and for me it has been challenging and that is why my performance was dropping. I have to work hard to be a better player at right back,” said Madisha.

Since he was parachuted from the Multichoice Diski Challenge team in 2016 and launched into the grandest stage of African football – the Caf Champions League, Madisha has starred in Masandawana’s backline alongside the likes of Arsende, Ricardo Nascimento and Soumahoro.

“I am fortunate to have such great centre-backs because we all learn from each other and we talk a lot about our games. We try to rectify each other and try to push each other very hard. Even when they are playing and I am on the bench, for me it is like I am also playing with them because spiritually we are one team and we work together.”