With question marks on Monnapule Saleng's future, Orlando Pirates legend Eugene Zwane weighs in on whether his teammates at Pirates would hold a grudge against him, if he stays.
How the Saleng matter gets resolved is one of the most anticipated stories in the transfer rumour mill this off-season, which has linked him with a move away from the Buccaneers.
However, there remains a possibility that the Bafana Bafana forward could reconcile with Ezimnyama, especially following reports towards the end of last season that he was back training.
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As Pirates were competing on all fronts before the Bloemhof native attacker withdrew from the team due to personal issues, which are allegedly contract related, would the players at the Buccaneers hold a grudge against him for putting his interest first, before the team, if he remains at the Soweto giants?
Zwane believes the dressing room at Pirates was most likely not affected by the Saleng matter, especially with players of the current generation.
"Unlike in our days when maybe one or two influential players could sway the change room, maybe against the coach, management," Zwane responded to Soccer Laduma.
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"These days players are much smarter, they understand it's their career (in Saleng's case), when they get contracted, they get contracted alone.
"When they get renewed, they get renewed alone. When they get terminated, they get terminated alone. So you can't buy into someone's battles that has nothing to do with you," the former defender said.
"You do your best to earn the next contract as an individual within the team environment. So a lot of these young players they understand, they get it. So I don't think Saleng's absence was a major factor in the change room," the ex Jomo Cosmos defender added.
