Reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns will have a big decision to make on two players who are raising their hands to return to Chloorkop next season.
Sipho Mbule and Lebohang Maboe are sending out a clear message to Sundowns at the moment and the big bosses at Chloorkop might find it hard to ignore what these two players are doing at the moment.
READ: Sundowns Set To Be Boosted By Bafana Stars
Mbule joined Sekhukhune United at the start of the season on loan and is living up to his nickname as the Master Chef in midfield for Babina Noko, dishing out some fine performances which have put the cub within reach of qualifying for either the CAF Champions League or Confederation Cup.
Maboe, meanwhile, has been at SuperSport United for less than a month and he is already a key component in the midfield for head coach Gavin Hunt. Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso revealed that Maboe asked to go out on loan, to give himself an opportunity to impress the technical team from a distance.
The challenge when it comes to Sundowns is that doing well on loan does not always guarantee a return because the club is always in the market, looking for new faces to bolster the team. So, while these two players are doing well on loan, they are going to have to wait to see if they are in the plans of Cardoso, who has to finalise his squad for the FIFA Club World Cup set to kick off in June.
Former Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela gave his thoughts on the two players, describing how important it is for the them to return to an environment where they can compete for trophies.
"It didn't quite work out for them. I thought Maboe started well (this season), but maybe the changing of coaches led him to disappear a bit. Maybe the pressure got to him because you can't drop the level at Sundowns, so going to an environment like SuperSport will give him a chance to show again what he can do and to get his confidence back. It's very important for him to perform there, so that he can go back to Sundowns because that's where you get to play international football like Champions League and Club World Cup," Mphela said to the Siya crew.
"With Sipho, there were times when he was doing well and he was showing glimpses of brilliance. But he is doing well now at Sekhukhune and he is playing week in and out. I remember there was a story where he a problem with his personal life and I think that's what derailed him at Sundowns. But now they are giving him more trust and responsibility at Sekhukhune and he is showing what he can do. He needs to get back to Sundowns because that's where you compete for every trophy."
READ: Downs Star Backed For Footballer Of The Season Prize
Discipline, of course, is a big thing. With the schedule Sundowns has, there's hardly any room to get off track. There have been reports of ill-discipline with Mbule in the past and Mphela said that there is no room for that at Sundowns.
"When Pitso (Mosimane) came, there were breathalyzers that were introduced. Discipline is big at Sundowns because they don't always have time to train (because of the schedule). So, you need to be disciplined as a player. You need to watch what you eat and drink and when you sleep. Your recover is important when you play for Sundowns because the team players every three days. You have to lead by example."
Maboe and Mbule will wait anxiously to hear what Sundowns decide regarding their futures.
