- Kapinga has been advised to quit Sundowns
- Opportunities have been limited this term
- Both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are potential destinations
WHAT HAPPENED: One of Kapinga’s former coaches—Mlungisi Ngubane—has urged the Sundowns attacker to reconsider his future with the PSL leaders and consider reinvigorating his career elsewhere.
Despite his undoubted talent, and admittedly amidst fitness issues, Kapinga has had limited involvement at Downs so far this term, making just six appearances.
He’s a popular figure among Brazilians supporters, but not getting the gametime—let alone the recognition he deserves—there are increasing voices advising him to move on.
WHAT WAS SAID: “To be honest, he needs to move, because he bought Sipho Mbule when he was already there, and Mbule is playing ahead of Kapinga,” Ngubane told KickOff. “Players who joined after Kapinga are now also playing ahead of him, and Kapinga is a very good player.
“He could be playing in the national team now if he was playing regularly,” he added. “So it’s only fair for him to join another team.”
WHAT’S MORE: Perhaps surprisingly, Ngubane both moved to advise Kapinga to consider following in the footsteps of Bafana Bafana’s latest hero Zakhele Lepasa—who sought a loan away from Orlando Pirates in order to get more gametime—and criticised current PSL stars for being too revenue-focused.
“He must learn from Lepasa,” Ngubane continued. “The problem with our players is their love for money which makes them forget about their chances of playing, or maybe his confidence was sky-high when he signed because he was doing very well when he left [Black Leopards] for them.”
Ngubane even expressed his belief that Kapinga could be doing the business in the European game.
“He’s not playing,” he concluded, “which means he’s stuck—he needs to move on.
“He could be in Belgium if he’d stayed at Leopards, but now he’s stuck at Sundowns and isn’t playing.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Kapinga was rumoured to be on the radars of both Chiefs and Pirates during the final days of the January transfer window, with the attacker understood to be seeking a move away from Sundowns.
Ultimately he remained at the club, but things have only deteriorated for him since January, with wonderkid Siyabonga Mabena emerging as yet another threat to the 28-year-old’s gametime.
“That boy [Mabena] is good,” Ngubane noted. “Sundowns are introducing a 16-year-old before Kapinga.
“I saw his touches and I realised this boy knows football.”
Could either of the Soweto giants make a move for the attacker during the coming months?