Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi has responded to rumours that striker Gabadinho Mhango could be leaving the club.
Mhango, who had a brilliant Africa Cup of Nations tournament, has struggled for regular game-time at the Sea Robbers this campaign, making only 10 appearances.
However, he did convert an important penalty in the shoutout victory over Simba SC in the CAF Confederations Cup quarter-final.
The player’s future, though, seems up in the air and he has been linked with an exit from Pirates despite the club understood to have activated a clause to extend his deal by another season earlier in the year.
Ncikazi was now asked about the player’s future but insisted the matter is for the club’s management to decide on, while he focusses on matters on the pitch.
“It’s between him and management. Currently as a Pirates coach I just concentrate on what’s happening on the field, that’s a matter for management and him,” the Bucs co-coach told Thabiso Mosia on SAfm’s SportON.
“But for now he comes to training, we treat him like we treat every player. He gets an opportunity, he gets selected or not selected and it applies to everybody and Mhango is not different.”
Ncikazi was then asked whether he believes Mhango has a future at Orlando Stadium.
“It’s not on me [to say] which players are in the future of the club, I don’t even know how long his contract is,” he explained.
“My job, I just do the job, focus on the job at hand, make my recommendations on the club. At the platform where we need, I get informed ‘this is successful and that’s not successful’. “Mango’s question has never been a question at any stage in a meeting that I was in.”
Finally, when asked whether the feels Mhango’s heart is still with the club, Ncikazi insisted that the 29-year-old has a contract and should be looking to fulfil his duties in a professional manner.
“I think his heart is with the club, he is paid by the club, he must perform the duties of the club,” Ncikazi added.
“He’s got a contract with the club, he must meet the contractual obligations, he comes to training on time. If he does that, like all players are doing – respect the protocol of the club, respect himself as a player – he will get selected.
“If he doesn’t he will be subjected to all protocols that are subjected to any person who doesn’t do what the club requires, it doesn’t change, it doesn’t choose a name.”
‘Ezimnyama ngenkani’ are set to play their second leg of CAF Confederations Cup semi-final on Sunday, heading into the game with a 2-0 advantage over Al Ahli Tripoli.
ENGLISH iDiski Times Edition 51 – Josef Zinnbauer & Brandon Petersen
