To no surprise, Ranga Chivaviro has become the hottest topic in recent weeks and this week's Friday Debate focuses on where the player would be best suited to play, at Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates?
Chivaviro is currently caught up in a bit of a mess, with Richards Bay FC confirming that the player signed a pre-contract with them. Soccer Laduma spoke to three individuals to get their thoughts on where Chivaviro would fit in best.
Mokete Tsotetsi - former Kaizer Chiefs defender
I think the best option for him would be Chiefs. One, Chiefs does not have strikers and, two, he looks someone who can play in any style of play. He can play in a front three, so I think it would be easy for him to gel, whether it's under coach Arthur Zwane or the new coach, if that deal materialises. If you look, one problem at Chiefs is finishing. It's what let them down the most. With Pirates, it's 50-50. They have a lot of strikers and there were others who went out on loan (like Zakhele Lepasa and Tshegofatso Mabasa). I'd say he should go to Chiefs, where he has a good chance of playing regularly and he would be able to get more opportunities to prove himself. It's good to have competition, but he can play at Chiefs and he can help them to win more games.
Thulani Nombali - Chiefs supporter
It's a tough one, but if we look at the factors, I can't really say style of play is a factor because things can change, especially at Chiefs because there was never really a style of play. I don't think he is really suited to play at Pirates because they have many strikers. They have the likes of Evidence Makgopa and Eva Nga, who are those top strikers who seem to be struggling. So, it could be the way they approach, which we can say is style of play. At Chiefs, if you look at the chances they created and failed to convert, I think Chivaviro would pounce on them and we would see him on double figures. If you look at the pace we look to use down the flanks with (Christian) Saile and the likes of Ashley du Preez and the chances Chiefs created, I think they do need a player like Ranga who is always going to be in the box to try to convert. Rumours say that his heart is at Naturena, so I would like to see how he would do there. I'd like to see him at Naturena. I think he is a good player. He has that surprise factor about him and he can score all sorts of goals.
Tshemedi Molopo - Chiefs supporter
When it comes to Ranga, it's a matter of him being 30 years old and needing to play and this is why I would lean to Kaizer Chiefs more because here is someone who scored 17 goals across all competitions last season and he played in the CAF Confederation Cup. That's why Pirates are also after his signature because he has proven himself on the continent against all the odds. He led a side like Marumo Gallants to the semi-finals of the Confederation Cup, so his experience would be key for Orlando Pirates. But for him football wise, going to Chiefs would be the perfect choice because Chiefs does not have a lot of strikers compared to Pirates. I mean Pirates need to discuss the futures of (Zakhele) Lepasa and the others. So, it would definitely be tricky for him to go to Pirates. If you look at someone like Eva Nga. What happened to Nga when he got to Pirates? He played a couple of games and then he was sent to the stands, not because he didn't fit in, but because of a lot of strikers who were there. Pirates have options in that department, so going to Pirates means that he would have to accept that he starts some games on the bench or he would find himself in the stands. Whereas Chiefs does not have a striker of his calibre. A Chiefs move would definitely make sense to him.
