Manqoba urges ‘quality’ ex-Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule to ‘fix his head’ amid Kaizer Chiefs links

Bafana Bafana international Sipho Mbule has been warned about his career conduct despite his quality amid his Orlando Pirates exit reports.

The 28-year-old is set to leave the Soweto giants after just a season with them. Mbule’s loan deal with Sekhukhune United came to an immature end, allegedly owing to disciplinary issues. Mamelodi Sundowns were not keen on extending his day, and he eventually joined Bucs.

Mbule started his career with the Soweto giants quite well, helping them win the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout. But he struggled for game time in the second half of the season as the club went all the way to win the Premier Soccer League title for the first time in 14 years.

Mbule and his representatives had hoped that Pirates would extend his stay, but that was not the case. Former Masandawana star Manqoba Ngwenya argues things will not go well for the versatile midfielder if he doesn’t fully concentrate on his career.

Mbule is quality, but…

“Sipho Mbule is a quality player. So often people compare [career downfall] him to me as a player, and it’s disappointing. The sad part is that it seems in terms of his game time, playing football days are also being cut short like mine, which is very disappointing for a quality player like him to see him not featuring in the World Cup squad,” he told Soccerbeat.

“What a talent he is. It really hurts to see that. Mbule must know that even up to today, my career, I still hurt so much when I think about what more I could have done for the country, what more I could have done for myself with the talent I had.

“So, if there is still a chance, and if this thing is up to him, he needs to fix his head and give himself an opportunity. The coaches clearly still believe in him because they are playing him—unlike in my day, when Gordon Igesund wouldn’t even give me a run,” Ngwenya went on.

“I think it’s just a mental thing; it’s all in his head. He just needs to tell himself, ‘Now let me give this my all.’ Football is a very short career, and he needs to give everything so that his talent can be fully seen,” Ngwenya concluded.

Siwelele FC have been heavily linked with the midfielder, but Kaizer Chiefs have been told to consider him as well.