Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi has explained why Gabadinho Mhango was not in the squad for his side’s Nedbank Cup clash, questioning whether domestic football is bigger than AFCON.
Mhango was one of Malawi’s stars at the recent AFCON, scoring three goals as the COSAFA nation advanced to the last 16.
But the 29-year-old was not in the squad that beat AmaZulu 1-0 on Sunday in the Nedbank Cup round of 32, with Ncikazi explaining he will have to for his turn.
But Ncikazi, while acknowledging Mhango’s performances, says the club has a galaxy of good strikers, and Mhango will have to earn his place in the team.
“Pirates is a big team. You’ve got strikers, Mhango, one of them,” Ncikazi told reporters.
“You’ve got Lepasa, Mabasa who was not part of the team, you have a Peprah.
“So it’s a galaxy of strikers, although others were injured. So one may be with respect, the choice at Pirates, where players have been preparing for the past weeks and Mhango has come back.
“We know he is a good player, but not because anything is wrong with him, it’s just competition. And currently we chose to call with Peprah and Lepasa.
“He’ll get his opportunity in due course, he just has to work hard like other players are doing. Mabasa was not part of the team, he couldn’t make the 20 and being a top player, being a player that plays in the national team. So Mhango will wait like all other players.
“We recognise and acknowledge his performance in the AFCON. But maybe the league in South Africa is bigger than Afcon, that’s a question for another day.”
