The Cosafa Cup is a perfect platform for young players trying to advance their careers, and Orlando Pirates left-back Innocent Maela knows that. In 2017 Maela was a Pirates youth product who had spent three years on loan at Thanda Royal Zulu in the First Division and captained them to promotion the previous season, when he was called up by Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter for the Cosafa Cup. That tournament was a disappointment for a combination stitched together under the usual pressure of clubs not releasing players. Bafana lost their first game against Tanzania, then won the plate section by beating Botswana and Namibia. Unlike that tournament, in which Baxter was forced to take players who would not otherwise catch the eye for national team positions, in 2018 the coach has secured young players with national potential. Maela is back, now as a star of Pirates’ resurgent season in 2017-18. The 25-year-old believes the Cosafa Cup experience eased him into Pirates and gave him the ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.