Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has remained coy regarding the situation of Monnapule Saleng.
Saleng has played 70 games under the leadership of Riveiro and contributed 42 goals and assists, helping the side to win three MTN8 trophies and two Nedbank Cup trophies.
The Bafana Bafana winger hasn’t featured for the Buccaneers since December when they played against Al Ahly SC in the CAF Champions League group stages match at Orlando Stadium, but the 26-year-old recently featured for Bafana Bafana in the CHAN qualifiers first leg before being recalled by the club.
With Saleng contributing so much to the Pirates team, Riveiro was asked from a coach’s point of view how it affects the team not to have a player of Saleng’s calibre.
“I don’t think about players when we win or when we don’t win. I think no one wanted to be in this situation when we started the season, but it is that,” Riveiro told the media.
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“As you know, it’s not my role to speak so much about that issue, I just wish for the best for both sides in this case. We focus on the players that we have; that’s it.
“Luckily, we have a lot of talent in the team; we have players with a lot of hunger wanting to use their opportunities, and like I said, the opportunities are presented to them. We have players in every position capable to do the job, and that’s it; we have to live in the moment and look to the future.
“The future for us is to get ready tomorrow for the big match on the weekend. There’s no time to think so much about who’s there or who’s not.”
