Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has glowed with praise on the club’s midfielder who’s been performing exceptionally well in recent matches.
Mngqithi was speaking with media following his side’s resounding 4-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Knockout Cup at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Mandawana are now in the semifinals where they will face off against Marumo Gallants, battling for a spot in the final.
Mngqithi was keen to pile on the praise for Bathusi Aubaas who has been in good form lately.
The Sundowns coach believes that the 29-year-old is fulfilling the role for which he was brought to the team for, providing the them with physical presence in the midfield.
Mngqithi noted that it is uncommon for a midfielder of Aubaas’ stature to exhibit such high levels of intensity, speed, and stamina.
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“We brought him to MameSundowns because he’s got very rare physical attributes,” said Mngqithi.
“For a player of his height to have the kind of intensity that he has, the speed that he has, the engine that he has. We’ve always believed we can get a little bit more from him.
“I’m just excited to see him performing the way he does because even in the game that we were playing in Polowane, knowing very well that he had not been playing and he was training very well.
“But I talked to him, and I told him I do not want to play you in this match because I would prefer to see you in the Cape Town City FC game because that game will require a lot of intensity, and I know your aggression can help us.
Because he’s such a very good football player. He’s such a good human being as well; he was open to that and said, no, coach, I know you will use me when the time is right.
“And when he does, he plays the way he plays. I think he complements Tebza very well.
“They form a very formidable partnership in the central midfield. You still have Marcelo [Allende], you still have a Neo [Maema], you still have [Siphelele] Mkhulise, you still have Lebo [Maboe] in that space.
“So it makes you feel you are most likely to have a very good midfield at any given stage.
“But his physical attributes, I think, are something to admire. It’s very rare.”
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