Truter defends Mobbie – ‘There’s no Mbappé in Africa’

Bafana Bafana mentor Hugo Broos has been under attack, with sceptics arguing the Premier Soccer League (PSL) topflight is not short of options at right back better than Mobbie, who is on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns. 

Mobbie was on Tuesday named in Bafana’s 35-man preliminary squad for the upcoming back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Liberia this month. 

“Looking in as an outsider, and having not worked with Nyikko in the past – I had my own assumptions as well into why he gets selected into the national team. And now, having worked with him and having a closer look…the boy is so humble, wanting to learn and giving his 100 percent,” Truter told SABC Sport.

Proof of this change of tune and support is evident in the fact that Mobbie has started all 11 matches under Truter since the coach’s arrival at Babina Noko in November. 

“He is very adaptable to tactical changes. He is very intelligent as well, his game awareness is second to none and I would say he is one of my best players when it comes to those things. Now I understand why the national team coach selects him,” added Truter. 

One of the biggest outcries regarding the 28-year-old’s selection came following Bafana’s 5-0 drubbing by then-world champions France 12 months ago in Lille, where striker Kylian Mbappe took Mobbie and his teammates apart. 

“Since the France disaster, and having spoken to him about it, he has grown and owned up to his mistakes that time. He loves analysis as well and that shows he wants to grow and learn all the time – what more do you ask? Yes, I understand,” continued Truter. 

“The France game with Mbappé taking him to the cleaners a couple of times, he has learnt from that and the next game against an international superstar he will do better. Let’s also be mindful that there’s no Mbappe in this league and in Africa – one or two players might challenge him, but I back him that he will come out on top.”