Maswanganyi has great potential, must up consistency: Thabo Mngomeni

Only time will tell if Patrick Maswanganyi can develop into a midfield maestro capable of taking over from Themba Zwane as Bafana Bafana's creative playmaker, or even displacing him.

That's the opinion of Orlando Pirates legend Thabo Mngomeni, who told TimesLIVE Premium on Tuesday that Maswanganyi, who won the DStv Premiership Player's Player of the season, Midfielder of the Season and Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament awards on Sunday, needs to show consistency in his game to be regarded as a genuine potential successor to 34-year-old Zwane of Mamelodi Sundowns.

At 26, Maswanganyi has enough time to learn from Zwane and has already started that process by showing his ability to many people who did not know him before he joined Pirates at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. His awards are testament to the excellent campaign he had after signing from SuperSport United in July last year.

The displays caught the eye of Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who had naturally identified the position occupied by 34-year-old Zwane as potentially needing a successor in a year or two. Broos gave Maswanganyi some playing time — the Bucs player was a little subdued, but the potential remains.

Zwane was superb as Broos' team won bronze at this year's Africa Cup of Nations. And any thoughts of the Downs man taking his foot off the gas after that tournament were dispelled when Zwane excelled in Bafana's World Cup qualifying away draw against Nigeria and win in Bloemfontein against Zimbabwe this month. Zwane is looking like South Africa's Luka Modrić, who has starred well past 35 for Croatia as they finished second and third at the last two World Cups. If Bafana go to Mexico, Canada and the US 2026, Zwane now seems like he could be there as the-then 36-year-old midfield fulcrum.

For now Maswanganyi is firmly the deputy, but at some stage he could be the successor. If he can make a similar step up in his game to what Zwane once did in his mid-20s, Maswanganyi might even challenge the Sundowns star for the Bafana playmaker's spot.

It's never easy for players like Maswanganyi to convince coaches they're capable of carrying a team's aspirations. It took Pitso Mosimane a few months to believe Zwane was capable of being the excellent, continentally renowned playmaker he became at Sundowns.

When Mosimane arrived at Downs in December 2012 he decided to loan Zwane to Mpumalanga Black Aces the next season (2013-2014), where it was the late Clive Barker who alerted the nation to the Thembisa-raised star's amazing ball-playing skills, comparing him to Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor Khumalo.

“There's no doubt Maswanganyi has the potential to follow in Zwane's footsteps,” Mngomeni, who starred as Bucs' midfielder and skipper in the late 1990s and early 2000s, said. “We shouldn't judge Maswanganyi completely by this season that has just ended. There's no doubt he had a wonderful season and deserves all the awards he's won. But for anyone to take him seriously, especially at Bafana, his game must be more consistent.” 

Already there are plans to groom Maswanganyi as one of the permanent features at Bafana. Broos called Maswanganyi for this month's World Cup qualifiers. He was unable to add to the one cap he earned in a 1-1 friendly draw against Andorra in Algeria in March as Broos preferred Zwane to continue dictating terms in Bafana's playmaking role.

It all looks good. But we mustn't forget there's been so many PSL players who've been good like Maswanganyi in one season and flop in the next. For him to get close to the level of Zwane he must show us the past season was not just a spur of the moment. That takes a lot of hard work and Maswanganyi is capable of doing that if he can maintain his form.

—  Thabo Mngomeni

“Patience is important because remember even Zwane, at his age, had to do a lot to convince Broos to bring him back to Bafana. You can just imagine if it was tough for Zwane, how difficult it will be for Maswanganyi. It's all about maintaining form in the coming seasons.”

Indeed Maswanganyi deserved his accolades as the statistics showed he was a player who was influential in many of Bucs' result in a season in which Jose Riveiro's team defended the two domestic cup competitions — the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup — they won last season and finished second again in the league behind Sundowns.

In 27 league matches, Maswanganyi scored five goals and provided five assists to get the votes that won him the two awards based on league form. Maswanganyi also deserved his Nedbank Cup award as he scored four goals and provided three assists in the five games he played in that competition.

“It all looks good,” Mngomeni said. “But we mustn't forget there's been so many PSL players who've been good like Maswanganyi in one season and flopped in the next. For him to get close to the level of Zwane he must show us the past season was not just a spur of the moment. That takes a lot of hard work and Maswanganyi is capable of doing that if he can maintain his form.”

Maswanganyi may get his big break for Bafana as early as September when Broos's team begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. South Africa will know their opponents after the draw, which the Confederation of African Football will conduct in Johannesburg on July 4.

There are also six World Cup qualifiers next year that Maswanganyi can be a part of with Bafana if his form does not dip. For now, Mngomeni's advice is Maswanganyi should enjoy his break and savour the awards he received knowing there's still much he needs to do to prove to everyone he's not a one-season wonder.