Orbit College head coach Pogiso Makhoye has delivered a scathing assessment of Monnapule Saleng’s performances this season, questioning the on-loan Orlando Pirates winger’s influence on the team and suggesting his presence may be doing more harm than good.
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Speaking candidly on Metro FM’s SNAWA show, Makhoye didn’t hold back when asked about the club’s recent dip in form and the role of returning senior players.
“The so called big players, maybe when they came back, they had a negative impact on the team. The team that I watched on Tuesday was a different team to the one I watched on Saturday, so maybe if you don’t have those big name players, then the players tend to perform very well when they are not on the pitch.”
Saleng, who joined Orbit College on loan in a move that was expected to reignite his form and offer leadership to the squad, has struggled to meet expectations. Despite his pedigree and experience, Makhoye believes the winger has failed to deliver the influence his reputation demands.
“So far, I think he has not given us what we expected from him as a big player that comes with a big name. Those are the things we need to sit down and look at as a team. Are we performing better when he’s not in the team?”
The coach revealed that the issue had already been addressed directly with Saleng, urging him to reflect and raise his standards.
“It is a conversation that was had with the player to say that he needs to up his game because we said we had a top game on Tuesday and when he came back into the team, we played a different game.”
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