Ngwenya's advice to Sundowns on 'too many foreign players'
Retired ace thinks injury-prone Nassir or Saavedra must make way
Image: Lefty Shivambu
As things stand, Mamelodi Sundowns have nine foreign players on their books.
The recent capture of Junior Mendieta (Argentina) from Stellenbosch and Lucas Costa (Brazil) from Belgian side SK Beveren brought the number of foreign players under contract at Chloorkop to nine.
Before recruiting the South America duo, the Brazillians already had seven foreigners in Peter Shalulile (Namibia), Marcelo Allende (Chile), Abdelmounaim Boutouil (Morocco), Abubeker Nassir (Ethiopia), Divine Lungu (Zim), Godspower Ighodaro (Nigeria) and Erwin Saavedra (Bolivia).
This means the Brazilians must do away with four as article 34.2 of the National Soccer League (NSL) handbook says: “A member club may not have more than five foreign players contracted with it at any point in time.”
Retired club ace Manqoba “Shakes” Ngwenya thinks one between injury-prone pair of Nassir and Saavedra must make way, predicting that Lungu and Ighodaro will remain loaned out once again, having spent last season at Golden Arrows and Chippa United respectively.
“I like Nassir a lot but injuries have made it very difficult for him to show his true colours at Sundowns. It’s the same with Saavedra, injuries have troubled him. So, I think one of them must be sacrificed, so that the likes of Mendieta and the Brazilian [Costa] get registered for the new season,” Ngwenya said yesterday.
Ngwenya also predicted that Mendieta will hit the ground running at Chloorkop. “Mendieta is a star... he knows football. He’s one player I am sure will shine at Sundowns. I have always wanted the club to buy him,” Shakes said.
Having been in SA for more than five years already, Lungu is now eligible to apply for permanent residence like fellow squad members Gaston Sirino (Uruguay), Denis Onyango (Uganda) and Brian Onyango (Kenya) did to be localised.