Mamelodi Sundowns legend Manqoba Ngwenya believes that the arrival of new signings at Orlando Pirates, including the in-form Oswin Appollis, will not overshadow the club's young star, Relebohile Mofokeng.
The topic arose after Appollis, who joined the Buccaneers from Polokwane City, made a sensational debut against his former club in the MTN8 quarterfinal.
Appollis was greeted with a rapturous welcome from the Bucs faithful at Orlando Stadium, and he immediately repaid their faith by scoring one of the goals in their comfortable 2-0 victory.
In contrast, the highly-regarded Mofokeng had a quieter game and struggled to make a significant impact.
Despite the contrasting fortunes of the two players on the day, Ngwenya remains confident that Mofokeng's long-term development will not be hindered.
He understands that a new player's debut, especially one who scores, can create a lot of buzz. However, he believes that the young Mofokeng has already proven his quality and has a bright future ahead of him at the club.
NGWENYA ON MOFOKENG – ‘THAT BOY IS A REAL DEAL’
“Pirates did well in the transfer market with great acquisitions. Appollis scored against his former team on his official debut and provided an assist, marking a great start to his career at Orlando Pirates. He is already winning the hearts of the Pirates faithful,” Ngwenya told KickOff.
“It's going to be an interesting season; Pirates are serious about competing. Mofokeng is a great player, but as a footballer, you aren't going to perform at your best in every game. He is allowed to have an off day, especially with talented players like Sipho Mbule and Sihle Nduli around.
“I believe Mofokeng will continue to raise the bar. That boy is the real deal. He won't be overshadowed. He is a quality player who understands the importance of team play.
“I'm happy with Mofokeng's performance; I think he is doing well. He could have won the footballer of the season if Lucas Ribeiro hadn’t been in the way.
“Mofokeng just needs to keep playing his game and should not change his style.
“Pirates are showing they intend to compete for the league title. We haven't seen a different league champion in South Africa for eight consecutive years, and I believe Pirates will make this season exciting.”
