Former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana star Lebohang 'Cheeseboy' Mokoena has opened up about his first contract at the Buccaneers and turning down Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Mokoena was at the green age of 16 when he was handed his first professional contract with the Soweto giants.
He went on 35 appearances for the Sea Robbers, contributing one goal and four assists, before making a switch to Mamelodi Sundowns where he would feature in 89 matches, with a return of 11 goals from midfield and 13 assists.
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While still remembered as one of the most exciting players to come out of the Bucs' development, the pacey attacker has revealed that he had turned down Pirates' initial offer of R6000.
"I was too young to sign for myself so my parents went with me to Pirates' offices," Mokoena said on the Jabu Mahlangu Diski Shandis Podcast.
"I waited outside while they discussed with the chairman (Dr Irvin Khoza). My parents come back to me and tell me the chairman says they will offer R6000.
"That time Al Ahly had offered $300,000, while I was 15. I would play the reserve team and then straight to the first team. I didn't know that type of money. Al Ahly wanted to sign me for that money.
"But I didn't think about it, I mean I'm still in school and bear in mind I was playing very well in the Under 17s, I was player of the tournament, I was top goal scorer. I was the captain in the U17s.
@orlandopirates throwback Tuesday ..
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Tso vilakazi
@ Jimmy Tau
Lebohang mokoena
Steve lekoelela
@ Dukuduku Makanya
@ Onyekachi Okonkwo?????? pic.twitter.com/EL9sTtSgpc
"So I'm thinking why are they (Pirates) trying to give me R6 000? That's when the policies come up, we raised you, you were around 10 or 11 when you joined, and we put you through school. So I didn't understand that, I refused the contract.
"My mother said let's just sign, I said no. My father asked why I'm so stubborn, He always called me stubborn because I liked to ask. Not to question his authority, I just asked.
"And we left, I was convinced we'd find another offer If Pirates didn't want to [increase the offer]. I would find something else. You have to be a bit difficult and that's something I've had since I was young.
"I was thinking let me be stubborn a bit, maybe they'll give me around R8000 at least. It's because of the situation at home.
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"When that contract arrived, my father was no longer working, my mother was no longer working. I could hear the arguments in the house. I was a kid but I could hear that it was tough at home. So if I take this amount, it won't help at all at home. So let me rather push it.
"I explained it to my mother that let's push at least get R8 000 it's fine.
"Maybe after a couple of games, I could get R10 000 and I knew in that R10 000, I could keep maybe R2000 for myself. So at the back of my mind, I'm thinking no we have a situation back at home. I cannot take this money. I mean yes, we could take it, but I mean it's a five-year contract. Just count that. Imagine.
"So for me, I was trying to fight for something better because of the situation at home. I'm thinking let this contract thing work and we could save the house and going forward we would figure it out But I eventually signed.
"They called me to come back to the offices. They had added to around R8 000 and they told me that after a certain amount of games, it would go to R10 000."