Vincent Pule - Free State football talent in desperate need of hope

Free State is without a doubt, one of the best provinces in terms of football talent in the country.

Both in the top flight and National First Division (NFD), there are no teams from the Free State following the relegation of Free State Stars and later selling of status and the Bloemfontein Celtic also being sold to Royal AM.

Pule says this is heartbreaking for the province.

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"For now, it's quite sad, we don't have a team, we don't have something that the boys can challenge themselves to say 'I want to play for this team to make sure that I become like Vincent Pule'. At this moment it's quite sad that we don't have a professional team. I only know the ones that play in the ABC Motsepe [League], the lower one but for now, there's no professional team," Pule said.

Free State has never been short of talent, currently and in the past, there has never been a Bafana Bafana team without a player from this province.

From Pule, Thembinkosi Lorch, Teboho Mokoena, Neo Maema, Pule Mmodi, Mothobi Mvala, and Sipho Mbule, and more in the PSL today.

Pule, who got his professional football break from his home team in Qwaqwa, African Warriors (formerly NFD), says this is affecting the up-and-coming talent.

"I think the most important thing is if we can get some of the teams going that side. I think we had Bloemfontein Celtics, they sold it. I think it was our last hope and Free State Stars, they sold it. I think at the moment we must get some professional team or maybe teams that side," Pule added.

Currently, the best football talent from the Free State is taken up by football academies of PSL clubs in Gauteng, Western Cape, and mostly KwaZulu-Natal.

This province has also been overtaken by its neighbours Northern Cape, who have two teams in the NFD, Hungry Lions and Upington City.

Pule says the youngsters in the province need hope.

"So that the boys can get hope again to say 'I want to be like Vincent Pule' you know, you can name them and I think now it's all about hope, if we can give the young boys hope."