Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has spoken about the return of Gaston Sirino to the playing squad after missing out for the first two and half months of the season.
It had been reported that Sirino had asked to leave the club at the start of the campaign, but he has since changed his tune and last week he made a return to the squad for the Carling Knockout Cup and also for the African Football League quarter-final fixtures against Petro De Luanda.
The 32-year-old scored in the CKO game, coming off the bench to grab a last-minute equaliser that forced the game into extra time and penalties. While Sundowns exited, Sirino’s impact was clear.
It comes at a good time for Mokwena, who has had to deal with injuries to key players, amongst other things, and the Sundowns coach was full of praise for Sirino, and his teammates who welcomed him back into the fold.
“You’ve got to complement the rest of the players that have come in and they’ve shown that we can count on them,” Mokwena said after the Petro game.
“Gaston has done exceptionally well since his return. He showed incredible humility, but that’s life.
“Gaston’s story is an incredible story for all of us. We all make mistakes. But like he has done, when you accept that you’ve made mistakes and you’re remorseful and you accept your owns, people forgive and when we forgive, we forgive genuinely without holding any grudges.
“And we move on because it’s for the betterment of the club. We all want to see the club win. And we want to see the club succeed.
“And so he’s been amazing, Gaston and I’ve got to give him incredible plaudits for that and also I’ve got to give his teammates incredible plaudits for welcoming him back and accepting him back into the group and showing him the love that they’ve shown him.”
