End of Sipho Mbule's No. 10 role for Orlando Pirates? New signing praised 'he can make things happen in that attacking zone'

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Sipho Mbule has been a sensational signing for Orlando Pirates. 

After doubts were cast on his move because of reported off-field issues, he has rediscovered his mojo while playing for Pirates. In fact, it was his form that earned him a call back to the national team.

But the Buccaneers have signed Andre De Jong from Stellenbosch, and the signing could mean Mbule will play a different role than he did in the first half of the season.  

Now, Orlando Pirates legend Benedict 'Tso' Vilakazi has delivered his verdict on the De Jong signing and possible redeployment of Mbule. 

"He's a very good player; I like him. I saw him when he was playing for Royal AM and then Stellenbosch. He's a very smart player, very intelligent, good with the ball, and good without the ball," Vilakazi told Soccer Laduma. 

"He can play as a false number nine, he can play as a number ten, and he can play as a winger, but a winger that tucks inside. That's a good signing from Pirates to balance the team.

"It also helps the stability of the team, in terms of the colour part, to say 'sinengamla, ungamla uhlakaniphile' [we have a smart white player]. Umlungu umnyama (a white guy who is black inside)," he added.

"Because when he plays, if somebody can hear his name being called on the radio, they can even think that he's Black, because he plays like Black players. He's skilful; he knows how to create chances, and he knows how to score."

Vilakazi explained where the former Stellies star should play and with whom.   

"Look, besides 'Tito' [Patrick Maswanganyi] at number ten initially, they don't have another number ten; that's why they end up playing Mbule in that number ten role, and naturally Mbule is not a number ten, he's a number eight player," the former Mamelodi Sundowns star stated.

"So De Jong is a typical number ten; he can make things happen in that attacking zone. When 'Tito' dropped a bit, that's when they put Mbule [in the number ten position], and they forgot that Mbule is not a typical number ten.

"Yes, he can create chances here and there, and he can score there and there, but he's not a typical number ten. By getting De Jong, I think they will complement each other very well. Tito can also play with De Jong; they are both intelligent. The creativity part – that's where I rate them highly to create good chances."

Given how critical the No. 10 role is for clubs and even national teams, fans and pundits have debated on who is the best in South Africa.

When Themba Zwane struggled to hit his top form due to consistent injuries, Hugo Broos was left with Relebohile Mofokeng and Mbule for the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Mbule played, but he struggled and was eventually dropped for the Round of 16 game against Cameroon. After Bafana's elimination, former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi asked Broos to take Zwane to the World Cup finals this year because he is a capable No. 10.

"The system that we are playing now, you can afford to play it when you have a Zwane, where you have a number 10, but in the absence of such a brilliant player, a brilliant mind, then you need two players like 'master chef', instead of having two or three defensive midfielders," Baloyi said.  

"You know that the players are trying to give you that creativity and the goals you lack, so you need two of those or even three on the pitch. I think that's where we need to fix things if we are not to take him to the World Cup again.

"I think there's still an opportunity for the coach to relook at his team and possibly take Themba to the World Cup. If you look at all other nations, we have 42-year-olds playing; you can't tell us Themba is too old."

If Zwane is fit throughout the remaining part of the season and plays more games, then he will have a high chance of playing in the World Cup. That means there will be stiff competition for this critical position.