Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has cast a doubt on whether four players who were loaned out last season will return to play for the team in the new campaign.
The Brazilians had loaned Phakamani Mahlambi, Sammy Seabi, Nyiko Mobbie, and Nicholus Lukhubeni, and with their deals over, Mngqithi has remained coy on whether they will return to play for the Brazilians.
“Come back to us?” he posed a question to the Citizen website when asked about the future of the players and added: “I don’t know.
“We are still going to sit down in that space but it will be to enhance what we have because the boys are looking good. Some of the boys who did not play much this past season will seem like new signings.”
But Mngqithi, who works alongside co-head coach Rulani Mokwena, has stated they have put in a place a system that players on loan always follow and they end up making decisions on the recommendations.
“We follow the progress of all our players, we know what is happening with each and every one of them and we make decisions based on that,” Mngqithi continued.
“We look at the recommendation that we are getting from the teams. They give every detail and information of what the player was doing and why he was not playing, then we make decisions based on that.”
In a recent interview, Mngqithi revealed the local giants were not under any threat from AmaZulu to retain the PSL title.
The Brazilians clinched their record-setting fourth consecutive title on May 26 after a 3-1 win against 10-man SuperSport United, becoming the first team in the league’s history to win the title in four consecutive seasons.
“When we were given an opportunity it was at the back of the President [Motsepe] knowing our capacity and we had to deliver on that by using our leadership qualities and making sure that this thing does not crumble on our hands,” Mngqithi said.
“We were fortunate to hold it from the beginning and it never showed any signs of being shaky.”
Sundowns were the first to win three league titles in a row from 1998 to 2000 before SuperSport managed three titles from 2008 to 2010.
