Sasman can be one of the best players for Kaizer Chiefs – Mark Williams

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Mark Williams says he hasn’t had time to speak to Yagan Sasman about the challenges Cape Town-born players face when they move to Gauteng. 

According to Williams, the majority of Cape Town-born players who struggled to adapt to life at Gauteng-based clubs often allow big pay cheques to get into their heads. 

However, the now-retired striker believes Sasman has the potential to become one of Amakhosi’s greats given how he’s seen him from afar.  

“I haven’t had time to speak to him [Sasman] directly about how he must behave now that he’s in Gauteng but I see him as a player who’s focused on his football and a hard worker,” Williams told Isolezwe. 

“If he doesn’t allow money to change him then he will end up being one of the best players at Chiefs,” he said. 

Williams further stated that Cape Town-born don’t usually earn a lot in the Mother City but their salaries increase when they sign for Gauteng teams.    

And the 53-year-old TV pundit believes that has been the downfall of many who moved from the Western Cape to Gauteng. 

“The majority of players from Cape Town don’t usually earn that much from teams in the Mother City. They usually earn less than R20 000. And they earn a lot when they get to Gauteng, and if they get around R100 000, they get big-headed,” he continued.  

“Money changes people. As soon as a player earns a lot in Gauteng, they forget the reason they left their homes – that killed so many players who are from Cape Town,” added Williams. 

Erwin Isaacs, Eleazar Rodgers, Clayton Daniels and Abbubaker Mobara are among some of the Capetonians who took time to settle when they moved to Gauteng. 

Nonetheless, there are some who really took their football to another level when they arrived at Gauteng clubs – including Brent Carelse, Moeneeb Josephs and Tyren Arendse.

Sasman would hope to follow in the footsteps of those who quickly found their feet as soon as they arrived in Gauteng by cementing his place in Ernst Middendorp’s team. 

The 23-year-old left-back has the next two years to really show Amakhosi fans what he can offer their club going forward.