The towering Buccaneer was a shock signing for Stellies in the January transfer window following his struggles with the Soweto giants. Abdeslam Ouaddou had opted to use the likes of Yanela Mbuthuma and Evidence Makgopa, who he felt were more valuable. The Bafana Bafana international has seemingly managed to regain his form.
The ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach has explained the tactical decision to deploy the former Buccaneers defender in midfield. The Nigerian international made his debut for the Cape Winelands side during their 2-1 victory over Chippa United on Saturday.
The Nigeria international has not played competitive football since September 2024. After completing his move to the Maroons in February, he has been forced to wait longer than expected to make his maiden appearance. His continued absence from matchday squads has now been clarified.
Referees play a critical role in any football competition but a long line of controversial decisions in South African football are undermining the integrity of the officials. Virtually all of the PSL's coaches have pointed out various refereeing mistakes during the season but, as the 33-year-old former Mamelodi Sundowns player points out, the officals who make these mistakes rarely, if ever, are punished for their errors.
The veteran coach has made his feelings crystal clear as more and more technology enters into elite sport. In his view, digital innovations cannot replace the knowledge and experience of learning your coaching skills on the training pitch and in matches themselves.
Referees play critical roles in any football competitions but are always on the verge of a severe dressing-down if they make decisions considered biased. The coaches have always expressed their dissatisfaction openly when they feel decisions made were against their teams. Although freedom of expression is allowed, an experienced tactician has cautined his colleagues against public condemnation of the match officials.
The South African top-tier side has been frequently making changes in the technical team since their promotion to the top. So far, three men have been sacked this season, and most recently, the Technical Director followed suit. The club management has now come clear on the decision made a couple of days ago.
Earlier in the 2025/26 season, the Premier Soccer League had four teams competing on the continent. Orlando Pirates were the only team that failed to make the group stage as they were undone by St Eloi Lupopo. Amakhosi were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup's pool phase alongside Stellenbosch. Currently, it is only Mamelodi Sundowns who are in the CAF Champions League quarter-final as the only Mzansi representative.
The Cape Winelands outfit bolstered their squad mid-season with a number of experienced players, including two recruits from the Buccaneers. Veteran coach Gavin Hunt is now tasked with guiding his side from the dreaded chop as the season enters its decisive phase. It has since been disclosed whether the Maroons will retain one of their mid-season signings beyond the current campaign.
The Soweto giants are aware that a win on Tuesday against their former coach, Gavin Hunt, will bring them closer to the top. They have had enough rest since their last competitive engagement was 10 days ago against Zamalek SC in the unsuccessful CAF Confederation Cup campaign. The PSL is their only hope for silverware this season.
The two Premier Soccer League rivals are set for another interesting meeting in the South African footballing scene. The recent meeting ended with the Glamour Boys getting eliminated from the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 at the DHL Stadium. The former Amakhosi tactician shares the latest on his team ahead of the forthcoming fixture.
The Soweto giants' forward was loaned out to the Cape Winelands side after he fell down the pecking order under Abdeslam Ouaddou and he looks to revive himself. On the other hand, the former Buccaneers defender is likely to miss the next few games for the Maroons, who are in dire need of positive results to save their season. The Nigerian defender joined the club after his shock exit from the Sea Robbers.
After back-to-back continental assignments, the Maroons turned their focus to the league duties. Their bid to climb up the ladder was hit by a blow as struggling Dikwena Tsa Meetse frustrated them on their own turf. Stellies' last league victory came against Sekhukhune United, and the relegation-threatened outfit denied them a second straight win in the competition.
The Premier Soccer League newbies have been unstable, especially in the technical team, where they have been making frequent changes. The South African top-tier outfit are currently without a head coach owing to the recent decision to part ways with the ex-Chippa United tactician after just three weeks in charge.
The Super Eagles star ended his association with the Buccaneers a couple of weeks ago on mutual consent. Initially, there were reports that the experienced centre-back was on his way to the Middle East, but his agent played down the heavy speculation. The towering defender will now remain in Mzansi!
The Cape Winelands side and their opponents from Tanzania entered this last group game with their quarter-final hopes having already been extinguished. With nothing tangible left to fight for, the fixture effectively became a dead rubber. The chance to sign off in a respectable manner was all that remained at stake, but it turned out to be a disappointing evening for both teams.
