Keanu Cupido hails influence of Lebogang Manyama at Cape Town City

Cape Town City defender Keanu Cupido says new assistant coach Lebogang Manyama has made a massive impact at the DStv Premiership club.

Manyama, hung up his boots after ending his career with Kaizer Chiefs at the end of the 2021/22 league season.

He spent time at City in the 2016/17 season, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 in 56 games in all competitions.

He recently joined the club on the technical team and has been a shining light, explained Cupido.

He told iDiski Times: “Young players can go to him and speak to him, even if they don’t want to go directly to the head coach.

“They go to Lebo, they speak to Lebo. Or they go to coach Diogo (Peral) as well. Coach Diogo as well, he’s a very nice guy.”

Cupido added: “So I think it’s nice for players that are afraid to go to the head coach straight, so he helps those players a lot, and he can go to the head coach and tell the coach, ‘This guy is struggling with this’.

“So, I think that’s also a good thing for us as senior players, where Lebo can come in and step in and say ‘Listen, you need to pick up your socks’.”