Maritzburg United winger Lebohang Maboe says he plans to remain focused on improving his performance in the hopes of earning a call-up to the South African national team.

The 22-year-old is in his first season in the Absa Premiership and he has proved to be a successful acquisition for the Team of Choice after he joined the club from NFD side Mbombela United.

Bafana Bafana stand-in coach Owen da Gama recently told the media that ‘there are players on the fringes like Lebohang Maboe at Maritzburg United and those are players that are knocking on the door.’

The left winger says he will keep pushing and working hard in the hopes of receiving a call-up to the South African national team set-up.

‘I read the story (on Kick Off) and this just says one thing to me, I just need to keep working hard,’ Maboe told the Maritzburg United website.

‘Because I haven’t received the national team call-up, this just says I must keep pushing, I’m heading in the right direction. I just need to keep soldiering on and hopefully, soon I’ll get it. Those words from Owen are very encouraging.’

The midfield playmaker is all about maintaining a positive outlook.

The former Mbombela winger says he will remain grounded and focus on improving his performance for a chance to play for Bafana Bafana or even a move abroad.

‘I’m very positive. I just don’t know the negativity. I’m positive in a different way and I work very hard. So my work that I do at training is showing off [on the field] so I’m just a happy soul,’ he added.

‘The support system I have on my side, to put it that way, my mother and my father and my teammates, they emphasise the issue of remaining grounded.

‘I’m also a very humble soul, so I won’t accept fame getting into my mind… there’s still a long way off from where I want to be and it doesn’t just end. I want to play for the national team, I still desire to play overseas.’

Maritzburg United will now travel to the Orlando Stadium when they play Orlando Pirates in the Absa Premiership on April 11.

Kick-off has been set for 19:30.

Image: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix