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Cape Town - Former Maritzburg United assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has tipped South Africa Under-23 midfielder Deolin Mekoa for greater heights in his career.
Mekoa is part of 18-man Amaglug-glug squad that will participate at the upcoming Rio Olympics in Brazil.
The 22-year-old former School of Excellence academy player was spotted by Ncikazi at the Safa KwaZulu-Natal SAB Regional League provincial play-offs in Durban in June 2014, and walked away with the team's Young Player of The Year Award in his debut season in the top flight.
"Deolin is a talented winger with a great potential in professional football, and I'm not surprised at all with his progress so far, because it took me just 15 minutes at the KZN SAB League provincial play-offs to spot him as a PSL material," Ncikazi told Vodacom Soccer.
"I then introduced him to Steve Komphela (then Maritzburg United coach), who gave him a chance, and he didn't disappoint. With his progress he has made so far in his two seasons in the top flight, I can now put my head on the block and say without doubt that this boy is going places.
"Being part of Amaglug-glug team that is going to take part at the big international stage like Olympics, surely will enhance his chances of realising his dream of plying his trade in a European league," enthused Ncikazi, now an assistant coach to Clinton Larsen at Lamontville Golden Arrows.
The Wentworth-born left winger, who made 28 appearances, scoring two goals and providing four assists in all competitions last season, was instrumental in the Team of Choice's survival from the PSL's relegation. And the Amaglug-glug midfielder's heroics in last season's campaign didn't go unnoticed as he has also attracted interest from some of the Absa Premiership's biggest clubs.
