TS Galaxy coach and former Orlando Pirates captain is adamant that Xola Mlambo deserves a Bafana Bafana call-up, citing his eagerness to learn and listen in a bid to become a better player.

Mlambo played under the watchful eye of Malesela during three stints in his career, first at Mamelodi Sundowns development outfit M-Tigers, before following suit at the then National First Division side Cape Town All Stars and Chippa United.

Malesela suggested that Stuart Baxter should call the in-form Buccaneers midfielder to the national team.

‘One of the advices I give my players is that patience pays while you are learning. But patience will not pay if you don’t learn‚’ he told Times Live.

‘And I think the best thing about Xola Mlambo is that he learns every time. He listens.

‘I think he needs to have an understanding of what the demands of the national team are. If he’s got that‚ then he deserves to be in the national team.

‘I must think he’s maturing. Maybe there are things that the national team coaches see that he lacks‚ that maybe somebody can advise him about. And he will eventually be in the national team.

‘But‚ having said that‚ if I was coach of the national team I wouldn’t even blink – immediately [he would be in],’ he claimed.

‘By the way‚ it’s not because I coached him. I’m one‚ and he knows‚ who demands a lot from players. Sometimes I think I’m unreasonable and they think I’m unreasonable because I demand high‚ high quality,’ he added.

The former Chili Boys mentor went on to mention that Ten-Ten, as the midfielder is known, still has room for improvement in his game.

‘But‚ like I said‚ for me‚ if it was my decision I would play him. But coaches prefer different players‚ and different styles of play command what players they will chose for the national team.

‘I think there’s more that he needs to do. I’m one of his biggest critics because we talk from time to time and he asks me about his game.

‘There is one thing that I told him he needs to improve on‚ which is the marking part. Because he has a tendency of diving into tackles.

‘And as much as I say that‚ every player would have a weakness. And that’s something that they need to concentrate on‚ because then he would complete his game.

‘But having said that as well there are players who are very gifted who cannot mark. Players like Doctor Khumalo never used to mark‚ because they were gifted.

‘So that’s one area I think he needs to work on and complete.

‘The work rate is there‚ everything‚ he chases – just winning the ball‚ being smart in terms of how you mark‚ how you destruct opponents is another thing,’ he concluded.

Photo: Backpagepix