A local promising soccer star, Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho, is a happy boy. His dream of plying his skills in the Absa Premiership Division has finally become a reality.

Mathoho, together with his two team mates, Isaac Mawela and Michael Fhetani (goalkeeper), left Thohoyandou to try their luck with Bloemfontein Celtic FC in Bloemfontein three weeks ago.

They were in the company of the managing director of their team, The Dolphins FC, Mr Dalton Mabilu. After two days of hard training, Mawela and Fhetani were told that they were not meeting the grade and that they would not be allowed to train with the team anymore, but Mathoho made it to the last stage of the trials.

It was at the end of the third day when the head coach of Celtic, Mr Owen da Gama, told Mabilu that the 19-year-old Mathoho had impressed the panel. What followed thereafter was the offering of a one-season contract to Mathoho by the management of Phunyaselesele.

In an interview with him earlier this week, Mathoho could not hide his joy, even on the telephone. “Tell everybody there that I will represent the province and Vhembe District well in the Free State,” he said. Mathoho further indicated that he would work hard in order to win the hearts of the technical staff.

The assistant coach of Celtic, Mr David Modise, revealed that Mathoho is the kind of player they had been looking for. Mathoho is not the first player from the Matatshe-based Dolphins FC to join Bloemfontein Celtic. Another young star, Ndamulelo Mugadi (15), was called to join Celtic’s development side in January this year.

The managing director of Dolphins, Mr Dalton Mabilu, said that promoting two players to the professional side within a space of six months was a clear indication that they were doing enough when it came to the development of football in the rural village, Matatshe. He said that although they were producing players to the elite league, it was his wish to see his team campaigning in the Premiership division in a few years’ time.