Former Orlando Pirates midfielder William ‘Naughty’ Mokoena has praised
Mamelodi Sundowns for their decision to sign winger Monnapule Saleng despite
the player carrying a significant injury.
Sundowns secured the services of the 27-year-old from Pirates earlier this
month, cutting short his loan spell at Orbit College. However, it was later
revealed on the club’s Pitchside Podcast that Saleng joined with a quad
injury, expected to sideline him for 8 to 12 weeks.
Mokoena expressed his delight at the move, suggesting it will provide the
fresh start Saleng needs after a difficult period. He was particularly
critical of Saleng’s recent loan experience at Orbit College, where the
player’s former coach, Pogiso Makhoye, publicly questioned his contribution.
“I’m very happy for Saleng to go to Sundowns,” Mokoena told PSLSA. “Orbit
didn’t help him forget the situation that made him not play at Pirates; they
made it worse. The coach was supposed to help him as an experienced person
to get away from problems and play football. Now his mind is clear, his
problems are solved. We’re going to see a new Saleng.”
Mokoena interpreted Sundowns’ willingness to sign an injured player as a
powerful statement of their belief in his talent.
“They assess the injury first—it might be minor. But it shows there’s
something they want from Saleng,” he explained. “It shows that he’s an
asset. Who can risk buying an injured player who won’t play for eight weeks?
When you buy a player, you want him to play immediately. It shows they saw
something special in him, and they are willing to wait.”
This injury timeline means Saleng is almost certain to miss the highly
anticipated league clash between Sundowns and his former club, Orlando
Pirates, on 18 February.
The signing is seen as a long-term investment by the reigning champions, who
have pursued Saleng for some time and are now betting on his return to peak
form once recovered.
