“Injuries are part of football,” Phiri told TimesLIVE. “Some people can spend two years without playing and when they heal they play again.
“So we can’t say his career is over now. But we have to wait until he heals properly.
“Injuries are different and it depends on how we treat them and how our bodies react to treatment. He will be fine.”
The former footballer turned agent said Manyama is still in rehab and their focus is to make sure that when he returns he is healthy physically and mentally.
“The important thing for now is not about getting a team to play for, but for him to heal first — it is no use getting a team while he hasn’t healed,” Phiri said.
“[A new team] might rush to play him and that will make the injury worse. Once he is fine mentally and physically we will take it from there.”
While Manyama enjoyed trophy success with City and SuperSport United, he left Amakhosi with no silverware to show in his four-year stay at Naturena.
He also spent a season playing in Europe where the attacking midfielder battled for game time at Turkish top-tier side Konyaspor between 2017 and 2018.
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Clubless ex-Kaizer Chiefs star Lebogang Manyama's career hangs in the balance
Image: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
While former Kaizer Chiefs star Lebogang Manyama's career appears to be up in the air, his agent Maimane Phiri is confident the 2017 Premier Soccer League (PSL) Player of the Season will bounce back strongly soon.
Manyama has been without a club since being released by Chiefs in a major clear-out at the end of last season.
The 32-year-old former Ajax Cape Town player was apparently close to re-signing with Cape Town City for the current campaign, but his serious knee injury got in the way of a deal.
That has raised doubts on whether, given his age and six months spent out of the game, Manyama will return to the field.
Former Bafana Bafana and Moroka Swallows star Phiri has dismissed the notion Manyama’s career may be over and said it won’t be long before the player is back, though he couldn’t give a time frame.
“Injuries are part of football,” Phiri told TimesLIVE. “Some people can spend two years without playing and when they heal they play again.
“So we can’t say his career is over now. But we have to wait until he heals properly.
“Injuries are different and it depends on how we treat them and how our bodies react to treatment. He will be fine.”
The former footballer turned agent said Manyama is still in rehab and their focus is to make sure that when he returns he is healthy physically and mentally.
“The important thing for now is not about getting a team to play for, but for him to heal first — it is no use getting a team while he hasn’t healed,” Phiri said.
“[A new team] might rush to play him and that will make the injury worse. Once he is fine mentally and physically we will take it from there.”
While Manyama enjoyed trophy success with City and SuperSport United, he left Amakhosi with no silverware to show in his four-year stay at Naturena.
He also spent a season playing in Europe where the attacking midfielder battled for game time at Turkish top-tier side Konyaspor between 2017 and 2018.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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