Orlando Pirates news: Saleng, Sesane, Maswanganyi, Mofokeng

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Orlando Pirates have a lot on their plate – but at least they’re eating well.

The Buccaneers are going toe-to-toe against reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns following their historic seven-win run to start the season but failed to make it eight when they faced Stellenbosch FC on December 1.

Jose Riveiro has a lot to decipher heading into the summer period, which will surely be their most pivotal part of the season, juggling the PSL and CAF Champions League.

An underlying tone of uncertainty rests amongst their roaring schedule, and renewed optimism, with the likes of Riveiro, Patrick Maswanganyi, and Relehobile Mofokeng rumoured to move away.

Top Orlando Pirates players on the way out?

Monnapule Saleng, who has been absent due to personal issues, and Mohau Nkota are being monitored by Belgium’s Standard Liege.
Thabiso Sesane has been one of Orlando Pirates’ best players this season, prompting European interest from the likes of relegation scrappers Montpellier who are hoping to sign him as early as January – there’s a slim chance this materialises in the summer, but who knows what will happen in the offseason.
According to reports, Maswanganyi is pushing for a move to Europe to play in one of soccer’s elite leagues.
Barcelona FC is scouting Bafana starlet Mofokeng, who is also interested in RB Leipzig and the Glasgow Rangers.

It’s unlikely that any of these players will move in the middle of the season, but as mentioned, the jury is still out on what will unfold for Orlando Pirates once the season concludes.

PSL’s new coach

Mamelodi Sundowns shocked the PSL world when they announced the firing of Manqoba Mngqithi, and then the hiring of Esperance’s Miguel Cardosa, who was quick to outline his plans, saying, “We have to study the team and the players and it’s obvious that the players we have are technically well developed,

“They suit the game of a coach that wants to impose himself on the game. Because that’s the base – to have quality players. I struggled to impose myself where the quality could not sustain what I wanted to put in,” the Portuguese coach added.

“I want a team that can control the games. Controlling the games means the team must be solid in the four moments of the game. Must understand very well what to do with the ball, obviously, but as I have in mind, you have to have the ball to move, not the ball but the opponent in order to find the right spaces to attack those spaces.

“When teams play against Sundowns, we really need to understand this question of the spaces. Where are the spaces? How we can create, how we should utilize and use the spaces that are in the game. So, having control of the game also has to do with being aggressive in the moment you lose the ball because as much as you control the game, there is a moment where you are going to lose the ball and you need to be strong in that moment. I think it’s a huge solidarity aming the players, I prefer the players to tun for three or four seconds and make an effort to recover the ball immediately, rather than coming down, reorganize and defend to win the ball and then having to go forward again.”