Former Bafana Bafana captain, Thulani Hlatshwayo, is encouraging SuperSport United young talent, Ime Okon, to select South Africa, his birth country, instead of Nigeria, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Okon, who was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father, is eligible to play for both the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana.
Despite being a rookie in the Premier Soccer League, the 20-year-old Johannesburg-born central defender has made a significant impact on the SuperSport United defense by participating in 18 league games this season, contributing to the team's third place position in the PSL table alongside Siyanda Xulu and Thulani Hlatshwayo.
Okon has not yet publicly announced his international allegiance, although Bafana coach Hugo Broos has included him in his preliminary squads on two occasions before.
The young defender has recently expressed his willingness to represent either nation, but the former Bafana captain has explained why he believes the youngster should choose his birth country over the three-time African champion.
“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 was quoted as saying by 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 mother 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.”
The former Orlando Pirate defender 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,” he continued.
