SuperSport’s Modiba admits versatility may have hindered his progress
The SuperSport United utility player can play all the roles on the left, which is something he says he learnt at the School of Excellence when he was really young.
Aubrey Modiba of SuperSport United (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Aubrey Modiba has always been marked as one for the future and he admitted this week that his versatility may have hindered his progress.
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The SuperSport United utility player can play all the roles on the left, which is something he says he learnt at the School of Excellence when he was really young.
“It does at times (hamper my progress), because some coaches prefer to have a specialist players for certain positions. But I am not focusing on that because as a player you want to play every game. So when a coach says today you are playing in this position you just have to adjust and be prepared to give your best,” he said.
It is for this reason that Modiba missed out of the national team call-up for this year’s Caf Africa Cup of Nations as then Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter wanted specialists players.
Modiba was left disappointed as he had been part of the team during the qualifiers and looked good for the main event as well. But he says all that is now water under a bridge.
“It’s not a good thing but we can’t all be in the national team. There is only a certain number that has to be there. It doesn’t feel good but one doesn’t have to dwell on it but rather continue working hard at club level.
“Missing out of the Afcon call up made me stronger as a player. When you don’t get called up, it is not a set-back,” he said. Modiba has made the Bafana team for their first game in the 2021 Afcon qualifiers and is with the that will play Sudan at Orlando Stadium on Sunday.
But being a versatile player has its advantages as the team gets to have a two-in-one kind of situation which can be handy.
“It plays to my advantage sometimes because the coach has options with me. I feel special to be that kind of player because it was drilled into us at the School of Excellence that as a player you can’t be good at just one position but you have to be versatile. At times it plays to my advantage being able to be an extra player in the team,” he said.
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