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Childlike manner keeps Yeye going, says Baxter

Cape Town - SuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter believes that Reneilwe Letsholonyane wants to enjoy his last years of playing soccer.

Last week Letsholonyane help guide Matsastansta to a 6-1 victory over Orlando Pirates as well as a penalty shootout win against Mamelodi Sundowns in a Telkom Knockout quarter-final clash.

The 34-year-old was not offered a new deal at Kaizer Chiefs and Baxter jumped at the opportunity to work alongside the veteran again in Pretoria.

Baxter believes that Yeye’s childlike manner is what keeps him fit and going for lengthy spells in a match.

"When I was in Japan we signed Michael Laudrup from Real Madrid, probably the best player I've ever coached. I watched him and I said: 'your secret is you're just a kid from Denmark that wants to pay football - even though you've been at Barcelona and Madrid you're still a kid that wants to play football,'" said Baxter as quoted by KickOff.

"I remember that when taking Yeye... (he) is really a kid who wants to have the ball and enjoy himself. As long as Yeye has a role that he understands, he works himself in that and he plays.

"I asked him a question about how he keeps going because he is supporting players in the box and breaking up play on the edge of our box. But I think it's like a child when trying to play the whole day - so that's what Yeye is trying to do in the last couple of years of his career. He wants to enjoy them and wants to play."

United are currently placed second in the PSL with 15 points, following a superior goal difference over Kaizer Chiefs.

Matsastansta's next league fixture is against Baroka FC on November 19 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

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