Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Neo Maema has explained how he handled the time while he was not playing at the club.
Maema, 29, who is part of the Bafana Bafana African Nations Championship Chan squad, said he managed to keep himself motivated while he struggled for game time last season.
The South Africans kick off their Group C campaign in the Chan the Confederation of African Football's tournament for local-based combinations against Algeria at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, on August 8 4pm
Since joining Sundowns from Bloemfontein Celtic in 2021, Maema has racked up 120 games, scoring 13 goals and providing 14 assists while winning the league in each of the past four seasons.
In football you have to be professional first and the next thing is to accept the situation you are in, Maema said after Bafana's 1-1 Chan warm-up friendly draw against Angola at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday.