Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi says promising midfielder Isaac Cisse has been in a rough patch of form which led to being dropped from the line-up in the last two games.
The Ivorian teenager who captains the national U23 team has been sensational for Arrows since being lured to the country from West Africa – where they managed to secure the talent before a proposed move to French club Bastia.
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It proved a major coup and there’s been no surprise to see him attract interest from Belgium and from the big three in South Africa – but he was a notable absence from the line-up on Tuesday evening as Arrows fell to a crushing 5-0 defeat to Pirates.
“Uh – he did not start in the last game, he was not even in the team in the last game, it’s football hey – everybody must play and I also don’t think when he came in, he gave a very good account of himself,” Mngqithi said when probed by iDiski Times about his absence.
“In football one must expect these elements here and there but he’s still a very good football player – but unfortunately he’s going through a rough patch in the last four, or five matches, have not been very good and he still needs to work very hard.
“You know sometimes with younger players, the stress and anxiety that comes all around can be very dangerous in their heads, and even today, I don’t think he ran hard enough when he got in but he’s a very good football player and I have all the patience in him because I know what he is capable of.
“I do believe we can still bring in a bit of hunger in him and make him fight a bit more. The last few performances have not been very good, if I can be honest with you.”
Cisse has scored three goals in 18 games for Arrows since his off-season switch from Ivorian club Société Omnisports de l’Armée.
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