‘Saleng story has done a lot of damage to football lovers in South Africa’
What do you feel about it all?
Orlando Pirates fans are voicing their concerns over how the Monnapule Saleng saga is being dealt with by the media and stakeholders.
Football fans have had enough of Orlando Pirates vs Monnapule Saleng
Hlengani@20 had this to say:
“The Saleng story has done a lot of damage to the South African football lovers. It’s not clear up to now who is in the wrong between Pirates and the player. Contract issues are supposed to be handled between the club and the player’s agent, transparency and legalities are supposed to be observed. On this subject it would seem somebody is running away from the truth. That is the reason the whole matter is causing a lot of animosity between the football-loving community. It stings, it is unprofessional and it is really bad to say the least.”
Saleng the big game player
Saleng produced a dazzling output of 15 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances across all competitions in 2022-2023 to be crowned PSL Player of the Year. 2023-2024 didn’t reach those heights but class, as they say, is permanent. He was easily the best player in South Africa, by a mile. In October 2022, he bagged a match-winning brace in a 3-0 win against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final. There’s no doubt that Saleng loves big games.
2024-2025 hasn’t gone according to plan for Saleng at Pirates
Saleng started this campaign well with five goals in 13 outings, including a strike in the MTN8 final, but the second half of 2024-2025 has been a horror show for the player. He hasn’t played a single competitive minute since the turn of the year. Ironically, his last minutes in a Pirates jersey came in a Caf Champions League group stage match against Al Ahly in early December, the club that tried to sign him. He’s been away with a Bafana Bafana CHAN qualifier side for a two-legged battle with Egypt. After starting the first leg, which ended 1-1, Saleng was released from the squad and has returned to Pirates.
Bucs gear up for Matsatsantsa test
Meanwhile, Pirates have Nedbank Cup action to prepare for against SuperSport. The Sea Robbers face Gavin Hunt’s side in the quarter-finals on Saturday, 08 March at 15:00.
Will this situation end amicably, or at all?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or sending 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.