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Cape Town - Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane praised Teko Modise after the former Cape Town City FC midfielder announced his retirement from football last week.
Mosimane gave the diminutive playmaker his big break in South Africa's top flight when the player joined SuperSport United from City Pillars in 2006.
However, that was just the start of their journey together as the duo linked up again at Sundowns, while Modise also featured under Mosimane in the Bafana Bafana setup.
While their relationship took serious strain at times, and Modise made note of their problems in his biography, Mosimane insists he will always have a soft spot in his heart for the retired star.
"What a fantastic player, a maestro and I used to call him the navigator," Mosimane was quoted as saying by TimesLIVE website.
"He is the best I have ever coached, the boy who loved football and doesn't miss training.
"He deserves respect because he did exceptionally well and he served me very well.
"I had a good time with him and when he came to Sundowns I gave him the armband, and jersey number ten for respect until he felt that he needed to go. I never said he must go and you know that."
When asked to comment on Modise's biography, he added: "I don't have personal issues with what he wrote in his book.
"I am beyond that and I am the bigger guy. He never disrespected me on the pitch when I coached him and we moved together from SuperSport United to Bafana Bafana."
Modise will now take a position behind the scenes at Cape Town City, although the nature of his role has yet to be confirmed.
