SuperSport’s Neo Rapoo motivated to emulate Shandre Campbell

Shandre Campbell’s move to Belgium has inspired SuperSport United’s promising player Neo Rapoo as he looks to follow in his footsteps.

Campbell, the 19-year-old attacking prospect was signed by Club Brugge’s academy, Club NXT from SuperSport in June.

Rapoo, who plays as a left-back at SuperSport, is keen to follow Campbell.

“That motivated me and I’m so happy for him. I have played with Shandre since the age of 12 and seeing him do what he does best and playing the way he wanted to play encouraged me and keeps me going every day,” Rapoo said.

“That’s where I want to be one day in my life as well, but there is no pressure. I just have to keep doing what I do and I will get there one day.

“We won the DDC [DStv Diski Challenge] together and we grew up together from a young age.”

Rapoo, 19, who is a product of the SuperSport academy settled in well in the first team this season with appearances in the Premier Soccer League [four] and one in the recently concluded MTN8 competition.

He praised coach Gavin Hunt and the senior players who helped him settle. 

“Coach Gavin is a great coach and he believed in me from the beginning. The first training session I had with him, he told me how well I’m doing and I just need to keep going,” he said.

“The older players in the team have helped me settle and are always motivating me every day. They know my qualities and they help me to play every game and always help me to do better.”

Having not taken part in the recently concluded Cosafa U-20 tournament in Mozambique, where SA beat Zambia 2-0 to win the title, the youngster was disappointed he was not part of the squad.

“I wanted to be in the U-20 but coach Gavin had other plans for me. They needed me in the club and I had to respect that.

“I did get a call-up, they [national team] came to talk to Gavin and he said I need to start playing here and I had to respect that there is nothing I can do about that.”