Great rejoicing as Orlando Pirates' prodigal son Monnapule Saleng finally plays again
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Monnapule Saleng's much-anticipated debut for Orbit College FC on Saturday at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu will mark the return of Orlando Pirates' 'prodigal son'.
Saleng is greatly admired by fans across the country, and there will be much rejoicing at his long-awaited return to competitive football.
He has joined Orbit College on loan for their inaugural season in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). The loan deal comes after a tumultuous season for Saleng at Pirates, where he played a crucial role in helping the club retain the MTN8 title, but later found himself sidelined due to a fallout with management.
His appearance will be one of the main talking points of the Premiership's opening round this weekend. All eyes will be on the Bafana Bafana international to see how he performs following a challenging spell that ended with his last match for the Buccaneers on December 7, 2024 against Al Ahly in a crucial CAF Champions League fixture.
The decision to loan Saleng to the PSL newcomers came as a surprise to many, including former Pirates captain and club legend Lucky Lekgwathi, who voiced his concerns over the unexpected move.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
'For me, I think he's not a small team player,' Lekgwathi remarked, expressing hopes that Saleng would reclaim his form and eventually make a name for himself at Pirates.
In the Pirates documentary series GIANTS, which aired on SuperSport TV last weekend, Saleng spoke about the difficulties he faced. Coach Jose Riveiro echoed the bewilderment felt by many within the club regarding Saleng's altered demeanour, particularly following a disappointing 3-2 loss to Magesi in the Carling Knockout, where the team trailed 3-0 at half-time.
When asked about the circumstances that led to him falling out of favour, Saleng cryptically remarked: 'What caused the situation? A lot of things. A lot of things happened.'
The Saleng saga has captivated football fans throughout the season, creating a whirlwind of speculation and concern surrounding the player's future at one of South Africa's most storied clubs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Orlando Pirates news: 38-player squad and loaned superstar
New territory. Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted that managing a squad of 38 players is unlike anything he has dealt with before. The Buccaneers, who face Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semifinals on Saturday, have one of the biggest rosters in the Betway Premiership this season after a busy transfer window that brought in names like Oswin Appollis and Sipho Mbule. With fierce competition in every position, Ouaddou says the challenge is keeping every player involved. Kaizer Chiefs starting 11: How Velebayi fits in 'In my previous clubs I worked with 25 or 28 players,' Ouaddou told the media. 'Here it's 38…' Full story here. Orlando Pirates players inspect the pitch at the Orlando Stadium before facing Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8. Image: orlandopiratesfc Orlando Pirates forward Monnapule Saleng is expected to show confidence and have a new impact again in the Betway Premiership. A change of scenery is set to work in his favour. At Orbit College, Saleng is expected to regain the energy and joy that once defined his game at Orlando Pirates. Once stuck in a career lull, the loaned winger will likely show signs of the form that made him one of the league's most exciting players not too long ago. Orlando Pirates news: Congolese midfielder and Ouaddou support 'With Saleng, we're just giving him the love and making sure that he fully enjoys the game again,' Orbit College coach Pogiso Makhoye…Full story here. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
9 hours ago
- The South African
Orlando Pirates news: Congolese midfielder and Ouaddou support
Orlando Pirates' Karim Kimvuidi has packed and departed the OR Tambo International Airport after another disappointing season in Soweto. The 23-year-old midfielder has joined Israeli side SC Ashdod on loan, making him the second Orlando Pirates player to head overseas this winter after Mohau Nkota's big move to Saudi Arabia. The Sea Robbers announced the announcement ahead of the club's MTN8 semifinal battle against Mamelodi Sundowns. Kaizer Chiefs starting 11: How Velebayi fits in Karim Kimvuidi at Orlando Pirates during the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season. Image: Goal 'Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm the departure of Karim Kimvuidi'…Full story here. Kaizer Chiefs signings: Three defenders and four attackers With Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou under the microscope, club legend Edward Motale has spotted two key areas the team must fix before facing Mamelodi Sundowns. The Sea Robbers fans hoped for a bright start with Ouaddou at the helm, but losses to Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants have raised doubts over whether the 46-year-old can turn things around. In the build-up to this weekend's epic MTN8 semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns, Motale has offered a positive preview. 'There's lot of positives, there's a lot of good things, I mean you look at the stats, from the previous game they had 18 shots, it shows they are attacking, it's just that they are not scoring…' Full story here. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
9 hours ago
- The South African
Bad news on three Orlando Pirates players
Orlando Pirates are heading into Saturday's MTN8 semi-final first leg against Mamelodi Sundowns at Orlando Stadium already on the back foot. Orlando Pirates are already feeling the heat after opening their Betway Premiership campaign with two defeats. Now they have to face the most ruthless side in the country, who hit them with a 4-1 beating last season. To make matters worse, three vital cogs in the Buccaneers squad won't be on the team sheet. 38 players at Orlando Pirates, coach admits challenge Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou trains his team in Spain before the MTN8 opener against Polokwane City. Image: @orlandopirates/X Captain Nkosinathi Sibisi, defensive rock Olisa Ndah, and midfield fighter Makhehleni Makhaula are all unavailable. 'Most of the players are available, we only have Nkosinathi Sibisi (out), Makhehleni Makhaula, who is still coming back from his injury,' Ouaddou said at the press conference in Parktown. Kaizer Chiefs starting 11: How Velebayi fits in 'We still have Olisa Ndah out, but most of the players are still available,' Ouaddou added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
