Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung has come out in support of teenage midfielder Wiseman Meyiwa, amid accusations of age cheating.
Since breaking into the Amakhosi first team at the age of 17 and making a real impact, rumours on social media have circulated that Meyiwa matriculated in 2008 and played under the name of Moshoeshoe during a stint at Maritzburg United.
Motaung claims it's a case of sour grapes from supporters who don't want to see the South Africa youth international thrive at the Soweto giants.
"This boy was there in the national Under-17 and Under-20 teams, and they didn't say anything," he told City Press.
"These are people who want to pull him down and make him lose focus, and we are not going to dignify that with a comment. They must just leave our boy alone.
"Where were these people when he represented the country at World Cup events where they have age verification processes? Is it because he is now with the first team and they want to destabilise him?
"This is a pull-him-down syndrome because they want to see him fail, but he has our support. Whoever started this rumour must go jump because we are not going to entertain it."