Having played just 91 minutes all season, despite the campaign reaching the halfway mark, Orlando Pirates midfielder Kabelo Dlamini will be concerned to find himself alongside the club’s forgotten men.
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The 24-year-old has been starved of game-time this campaign and has found himself slipping further and further down the Pirates pecking order, making just three appearances in 14 matches.
Last season, the midfielder was used mainly as an impact player for Pirates and amassed 16 appearances in total. He started five games, while making 11 substitute appearances.
That is in stark contrast to the current campaign, where the ex-Bloemfontein Celtic man has largely been a peripheral figure, making just three appearances for Josef Zinnbauer’s side.
In fact, Dlamini has only been considered once in Pirates' last 11 matches.
There is tight competition for places in Bucs’ star-studded midfield, with the likes of Fortune Makaringe, Thembinkosi Lorch and Ben Motshwari all Zinnbauer’s preferred options, which does not bode well for Dlamini.
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Last season, the Siya crew reported that there was talk of a loan move back to Bloemfontein Celtic, where he would get more game-time, although nothing materialized at the time, with the player said to be in Pirates’ plans.
Dlamini joined the Buccaneers on a three-year deal at the start of the 2019/20 season and at 24, the player will be looking to enjoy regular game-time and to achieve this, he may look to go out on loan for the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign.
Have a look at Pirates’ 28-man squad:
