PODCAST | My mum said ‘Thabang why didn’t you tell me you left Pirates?’: Monare

Thabang Monare believes a leak to the media over his stalled contract negotiation led to him almost leaving Orlando Pirates at the start of the season.

The former Bidvest Wits midfielder seemed set to leave Bucs as the club said in July “contractual discussions with Pirates have collapsed”.

Reports were it was then new coach Jose Riveiro who intervened for Monare to stay at Pirates. Bucs administrative manager said a breakdown in communication resulted in the player being “mistakenly released”.

“It was just a matter of having differences in the negotiating process,” Monare told Marawa Sports Worldwide.

“And I don’t know who got hold of that story when it was in that process and it was released. My mum even said, ‘But Thabang why didn’t you tell me you were no longer part of Pirates?’”

Monare was pressed on whether the story emerged in the media via a leak ahead of Pirates releasing their statement.

“Ja, I think so because we were still having differences in agreeing on terms, and I don’t know who got hold of the story, and it just came out.

“And when I called the club they said, ‘No, we didn’t say anything like that’.

“If you remember at the time people were already being released by the club, [including] Linda Mntambo, which the club had put on its social media. But I was not [among those names] so it didn’t really make sense.

“I called them to understand what was going on and they said, ‘We don’t know who got hold of what was going on but you’re still part of the club and we’ll get back to you, and we’re still willing to have you’.”

Asked if it was Riveiro who saved the situation, Monare said: “I didn’t really get to understand the story of the coach’s side.

“But when we agreed with the club the team was already training and when I got back I was ready to introduce myself to the new coach, but it seemed like he [already] knew me.

“He asked me how I felt being with the club again and I said, ‘I’ve always been happy with the team and am looking forward to working with you.’

“Fortunately I got to understand what he required from me and it’s just a matter of taking it one game at a time now, putting everything into the past and working hard for the club.”

Monare’s contract expires again in June, though there is an option to extend by a year.

“I have spoken to the club and they are showing good faith and it’s just a matter of making time, sitting down and discussing my future with them.

“I just want to make it clear that I really love the club and really want to be part of it. I’ve been happy being part of this club that when I first came showed they really believed in me.

“My debut was in the [Soweto] derby [against Kaizer Chiefs] and that really showed how much belief they had in me.”

In a wide-ranging interview Monare discussed a career that started at an amateur team called Paradise FC growing up in Emalahleni in Mpumalanga; his time at now defunct clubs Bidvest Wits and FC AK and now third-tier Jomo Cosmos; and a turnaround in game time this season at Pirates.

He talked about the “tough love” he got from Wits coach Gavin Hunt, links in the past to Chiefs, the environment at Pirates and his call-up last year by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

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