Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt is upset with his former player and newly-signed Orlando Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo for the manner in which he left the club.
“I’m upset with him. He didn’t even come to say goodbye to us. He just left, but I think it is a good deal for us if we look at his age. We sold him to Pirates and there’s no swap deal,” Hunt told IOL.
After only a season-and-a-half with the Students following his arrival from Chippa United, Mlambo didn’t need to convince the Bucs hierarchy to capture his services.
“He was injured for the most of his time with us. Last season, he only played regularly in the first round and didn’t feature that much in the second round. Other players came in his place and did well in his absence,” Hunt said.
He was particularly instrumental in their MTN8 triumph and played a big part too in their first-ever league title success last season.
His move to Pirates was for weeks linked with Abbubaker Mobara going the other way in a swap deal, which Hunt has ruled out as Bucs are keen to hold on to him.
“We wanted him but we are not going to get him this season. Pirates want to keep him,” Hunt said.
Mlambo will have his work cut out as he will be competing with Mobara, Thamsanqa Sangweni, Musa Nyatama and Issa Sarr among other midielders available to Micho Sredojevic.
Meanwhile, Pirates administrative officer Floyd Mbele has rubbished rumours linking them to Andile Jali and Phakamani Mahlambi.
“The fact that we said we wanted a striker, now everyone is linking us with all the strikers. You can’t be creative, but people shouldn’t represent speculation as facts. Mahlambi is not allowed to move to another club because of Fifa rules. So, how are we going to sign him? We are not even sure whether he is there on loan or on a permanent deal,” Mbele said.
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