The legendary Ephraim Jomo Sono shared his verdict on Patrick Maswanganyi wearing the famous number ten at Orlando Pirates.
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When thinking of the number 10 jersey in football, mavericks like the late Diego Maradona and Pelé spring to mind, with playmaking geniuses like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho and modern icon Lionel Messi following suit.
In South African football, the likes of John "Shoes" Moshoeu, Steve Lekoelea and Teko Modise come into sight when thinking of iconic SA number 10's, but none come close to the mercurial talent that was Jomo Sono.
As stated by Orlando Pirates' website, the number 10 has to meet the criteria of skill, vision, and creativity to do the jersey justice like Jomo Sono did in the 1970s.
The last player to wear the jersey for the Buccaneers during the regular season was the silky Lekoelea, until it was taken away from him for disciplinary reasons in the 2001/02 season.
Since then, only a handful of players, including midfield general Oupa Manyisa have been able to don the number 10, which is limited to the CAF club competitions, where squad numbers are limited to a set number, making it difficult to have it unused.
With Patrick Maswanganyi becoming the latest player to be bestowed with the number 10, Jomo Sono had his say on "Tito" wearing it for the Sea Robbers.
"My current advice for the number 10? Keep on wearing the jersey and play football, finish," said Sono, speaking at Jomo Cosmos' sponsorship reveal with Lucas Batteries to journalists.
When asked if Maswanganyi has what it takes to don the famous number 10, Sono was quick to show his displeasure in Tito's recent showboating antics against Cape Town City in the MTN8.
After explaining the difference between his approach to Kasi Flava compared to Tito's, Sono pleaded with the media to not compare him to Pirates' attacking midfielder:
"Don't compare now because you have compared a lot of them [to me] and they have died. You can't compare, honestly. Don't compare Maswanganyi with me. He's a good number ten for Orlando Pirates, let him stay as the number 10 for Pirates," concluded the legend to the media at Cosmos' launch of a new sponsorship deal in Sandton.
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Speaking after wearing the number 10 for the first time in Pirates' goalless draw in the First Preliminary Round of the CAF Champions League against Madagascar's Disciples FC, Tito had his say on what makes the jersey so special:
"I have always loved the number 10 jersey ever since I was young. The first soccer shirt I ever owned was that of Real Madrid that my father had bought for me, it was that of [Luis] Figo," revealed Maswanganyi to Pirates' media team, adding:
"It means a lot honestly not only to me but also to my family, my friends and especially to those who look up to me. I don't see this as just a number because for Orlando Pirates, the number 10 jersey holds a very special place in the history of this organisation," concluded the 26-year-old baller.
