Although I support Mamelodi Sundowns with my heart and soul, sometimes the transfer dealings of the club leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

The reason I’m saying this is because I have been watching two players in particular – Edward Manqele and Richard Henyekane – and how they have been doing since being sent out on loan to Moroka Swallows and Free State Stars respectively. Unlike at Sundowns where they were frustrated by a lack of game time, they have been hitting the net on a decent basis and this is what every fan wants to see.

You want to see players doing well and the level of competition in the league being tighter than ever. You want to see players growing in their game. And these two players, to be honest, have not been growing since they signed for Sundowns on the back of being top goal scorers for their previous clubs.

Now, I think the one thing that would make sense is to let them continue at the clubs they have been loaned out to, on a permanent basis. It’s clear that if they go back to Sundowns, they will find the bench, or even the grandstands, waiting for them. Pitso Mosimane has got the likes of Katlego Mashego, Cuthbert Malajila and even Anthony Laffor to rely on for goals upfront.

The national team will continue suffering as long as this trend by our beloved big clubs continues. Jackson Mabokgwane actually made a good point in this week’s edition of Soccer Laduma that a lot of our clubs sign players they don’t need.

The player should come first in situations like these, and not the clubs. Fans go to the stadiums to be entertained by the players and not the club officials, most of whom are palookas.