Former Bafana Bafana defender Thabiso Rammile has praised Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba for the significant impact he had on his career and called for the veteran coach to remain involved in South African football.
Mashaba has been dealing with health issues, prompting Rammile to offer his support while stressing the former Bafana coach’s value to the next generation of players.
Speaking exclusively to Soccer Laduma, Rammile recalled how Mashaba backed him during his time with the South African Under-23 side, despite being the only player in the squad competing in the First Division.
“I am who I am and have achieved what I have achieved in my football career because of Bra Shakes,” Rammile said.
“I wish him everything of the best, and I would like to see him back on his feet and doing what he does best, which is getting involved in football and producing footballers.”
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Rammile believes Mashaba’s experience remains an asset to South African football, particularly for young players attempting to establish themselves.
“We still need him in the game,” he said. “There are still a lot of young players and people in football who would benefit from his experience.”
Rammile remembered being urged by Mashaba to work harder because of the division in which he played.
“I still remember there was a time when he coached the South African U23 team and I was the only player in the team who was playing in the First Division,” he said. “He believed in me and would encourage me to work twice as hard because I was coming from a lower division compared to the other players in the team.”
Rammile said Mashaba’s influence extended far beyond his own career and ended by wishing his former coach a speedy recovery.
“It’s so sad that he finds himself in his current situation after having done so much for South African football,” he said.