Pitso Mosimane would like to sign Lebogang Manyama‚ who he described as a “Sundowns player” in the forward’s style of play‚ but indicated he might not be willing to break the bank for the Cape Town City star.
Mosimane revealed that he played a role in Manyama’s early breakthrough into the Premier Soccer League at Ajax Cape Town.
Speaking as Mosimane was announced as the PSL’s coach of the month for February on Wednesday‚ and Manyama player of the month‚ the Sundowns coach was asked if he would be interested in signing the league’s current joint-top-scorer‚ sitting next to him.
“Why not? He’s a good football player. I have a history with Lebo that maybe you don’t know about‚” Mosimane replied.
“I played a role for Lebo to play in the PSL. Maybe he never thought he would play in the PSL and I told him he had to.
- Manyama and Mosimane voted as the PSL's best player and coach respectively in FebruaryCape Town City forward Lebogang Manyama won the Absa Premiership’s player of the month award for February on Wednesday and Pitso Mosimane of Mamelodi Sundowns won coach of the month.
“I spoke to Ajax‚ and through his agent‚ Maimane Phiri‚ I put my weight on [then-Ajax chairman] John Comitis and said‚ ‘Have a look at this boy‚ I think he’s got something’.
“And the rest is history – he’s here winning all these things.
“So I know him very well. And‚ ja‚ it would be nice to have him.
“But he belongs to another club. And you know what happens when Sundowns want a player – it costs R10 million.
"It costs the same as what you win for the PSL title.
“It took us two years to sign ‘Vila’ (Sibusiso Vilakazi). I don’t know if I want to go through that again.
- Mahlambi‚ Singh‚ Tau and Manyama to start for Bafana in East LondonSouth African Under-20 internationals Phakamani Mahlambi and Luther Singh will both start in Bafana Bafana's friendly against Angola in Eat London on Tuesday night.
“But it’s not up to me. Both clubs must speak. And (City coach) Eric Tinkler would never be happy to lose his most important player.
“(Now-City chairman) John Comitis would never be happy to accept losing a player who just won him the Telkom Cup.
“But‚ I don’t know‚ we’ll see. We’d like to have him – why not? He scores goals and he’s a Sundowns player. He plays the way we want to play.”
Manyama clarified the role Mosimane played in the early part of his career.
“They had a team‚ him and my manager‚ Maimane Phiri‚ in Alex (Alex FC) that they took me to the SAB League from the Sunday leagues‚” the City forward said.
- Manyama sweeps up PSL's player of the month awardsCape Town City captain Lebogang Manyama has won the Absa Premiership’s Player of the Month award for October-November and December.
“I was there for a few days and he (Mosimane) told me I could play in the PSL‚ but I had to push.
“I stayed in that team for about six months then he told me I must go to Ajax‚ because he was very close to the coach there at the time‚ Foppe de Haan. When I went there it was all because of him.
“And we’ve had that father and son relationship over the years – we talk a lot. I’m very grateful to him‚ as much as Maimane Phiri‚ for the opportunity.
“And for him to speak so highly of me after what he’s achieved is really something I’m grateful for.”
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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