Morton responded to a debate about the topic on Metro FM’s Sports Night Amplified with Andile Ncube. He mentioned that white-dominated high schools in South Africa don’t take football as seriously.
Morton has had a journeyman-like career, playing for teams such as Orlando Pirates, Maritzburg United, SuperSport United, AmaZulu, Cape Umoya United, and All Stars. He questioned why South Africa isn’t producing more white footballers and believes the issue arises around the ages of 13/14 when players make the jump to high school.
According to Morton, old, traditional, former model-C white schools prioritize sports like cricket and rugby over football, causing talented footballers to be lost in that space. He feels that even community football clubs struggle financially and don’t provide enough opportunities for white players to stay involved in the game outside of school.
Morton shared that in his personal experience, many talented players stopped playing football after transitioning to high school. He emphasized the importance of addressing this pivotal period to prevent the loss of talented footballers.