Aspiring footballers have been robbed of the opportunity to showcase their talents against top teams as amateur sides will not participate in this year’s Nedbank Cup due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena said the 2021 tournament would not be the same as the SA Football Association (Safa) was unable to produce eight amateur teams that traditionally compete in this competition against top-flight sides.
Sundowns will host Stellenbosch FC in the last 32 at Loftus on Wednesday.
“Without the amateur teams‚ you lose the element of giving players a platform to introduce themselves to the country. ABC Motsepe and SAB League teams use the Nedbank Cup to showcase their talents.”
Mokwena said he hopes the amateur teams will be back to take their rightful place in the tournament in 2022 as the world continues to fight Covid-19.
“The reality is this tournament is a fantastic platform for them [amateur sides] and hopefully next season we can continue giving these players from amateur and semi professional level an opportunity to introduce themselves.
“When they move to bigger teams‚ we have a bigger and better pool of players coming into professional football and that can only improve the standard of SA football.
“We have also lost the opportunity for professional teams in terms of scouting and recruitment‚ and also the opportunity for some of these young boys from rural areas and underprivileged backgrounds to play against big teams‚ on a bigger stage and on TV..”
The Nedbank Cup starts on Wednesday when Sundonwns host Stellenbosch at Loftus. Polokwane City and Steenberg United will face off at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on the same day.
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