Orlando Pirates supporters have been promised more scintillating performances from Monnapule Saleng after the winger opened his goalscoring account for the club.
Saleng was a livewire for the Buccaneers along with Kermit Erasmus and the rest of the team as they defeated Golden Arrows 2-0 on Tuesday, with the winger scoring two goals.
Read – Saleng's Mentor: I Knew This Was Coming
With Jose Riveiro and the team planning for Mamelodi Sundowns' downfall in the upcoming match this weekend in order to advance to the final of the MTN8, the Spanish mentor will hope for the same kind of performance from Saleng and teammates for the mission to be accomplished.
In case one is wondering where it all started for Snapo, as the 24-year-old winger is fondly known, the player's former coach Pogiso Makhoye from third tier club Orbit College, details how the journey has been.
"When I first saw him, he was 17, and I spotted him playing in the dusty streets of Bloemhof. It was after he turned 18 that I brought him to Orbit College. I could see that the boy was talented, but he relied too much on his speed and I needed to work with him on that. He would receive the ball and just run and being a coach, I had to teach him to use his skill to good effect. I could see that he was skilful, and I made him realize that he needed to combine his speed and skill to improve his game," said Makhoye.
Read: Riveiro Reflects On Bucs Chemistry After Saleng Erasmus Show
"We watched Lionel Messi in action a lot and I showed him how Arjen Robben and Messi played, as I tried to make him complete. He spent three years with me at Orbit because I didn't want to rush him in releasing him to other teams. When he was ready, I took him to (Golden) Arrows. When Arrows were supposed to call him for pre-season, it didn't happen. I organized a friendly match with Free State Stars, and I remember that on the day we travelled to Bethlehem, we woke up at 3am. It took him five minutes to convince Free State Stars that he was ready and that's why they signed him. The fans can expect a lot more from the boy. The thing with him is that he is not a star, he is a hard worker," concluded the mentor.
