Ex-Bafana Bafana Captain Wants “Rebel” Ime Okon To Choose South Africa Over Nigeria

Ex-Bafana Bafana captain, Thulani Hlatshwayo has revealed that SuperSport United wonderkid, Ime Okon, has been a “rebel” against South Africa but still wants the young defender to play for the country.

Ime Okon is a 20-year-old defender who has made himself a very important member of the South African Soccer League club, SuperSport United within just a season.

Despite being his debut season in the PSL, the youngster has made 18 appearances so far this season and has helped his club to remain third on the league table.

The fact that he has exhibited so much promise within a short while, the management of Bafana Bafana has been putting a very close eye on him.

Interestingly, Ime Okon is eligible to play for the team and the Super Eagles of Nigeria because his father is Nigerian and his mother is South African. He is born and bred in the Southern African country.

Okon who has reportedly said he is open to playing for either national team, has made it to the provisional squad of Bafana Bafana twice.

But Hlatshwayo, a former Orlando Pirate defender, who argued that Okon might not be able to “crack” into the Super Eagles squad until he moves to Europe, noted that the youngster is always on the side of Nigeria.

“I have told him he needs to stay in South Africa because it will be difficult for him to crack the Nigeria national team,” Hlatshwayo said according to Goal.

“To be able to crack the Nigerian national team, he needs to play in Europe — but we need him in Bafana Bafana.

“When you look at our centre backs, Mothobi Mvala has injuries, there is also Grant Kekana and Siyanda Xulu — and I read Siyabonga Ngezana had an issue with his travel documents, but I don’t know what is happening there. His father is from Nigeria and his mother is from South Africa.

“He grew up here, he studied here and coach Gavin Hunt took him from Randburg Football Club. He is South African and he speaks Afrikaans.”

He added, “He is a rebel, every time there is AFCON, when Nigeria is playing he is with Nigeria and when South Africa is playing against Nigeria we have a lot of banter in the team.”