Latest news with #PSLPlayeroftheYear
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Why is nobody talking about Monnapule Saleng?
It's strange to see spectacular footballers fall into relative obscurity. That's what's happened to Monnapule Saleng at Orlando Pirates. Did we perhaps overrate the occasionally brilliant winger because he can win matches on his own? 27-year-old Saleng now faces the prospect of wasting away in the reserves without any prospects of moving to secure first-team football. After not featuring for the Orlando Pirates first team since December 2024, speculation was rife that 27-year-old wide attacker Monnapule Saleng had admirers across the continent and even some in Europe. However, all of that chatter has died down. That's not a great sign for the player or Pirates, who'd ideally like to get a big fee for him. What is Saleng earning at Pirates? Saleng produced a dazzling output of 15 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances across all competitions in 2022-2023 to be crowned PSL Player of the Year. 2023-2024 didn't reach those heights, but class, as they say, is permanent. He was easily the best player in South Africa, by a mile. In October 2022, he bagged a match-winning brace in a 3-0 win against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final and then grabbed the only goal in the final to vanquish AmaZulu. There's no doubt that Saleng loves big games. Can he rekindle this form and rise from the ashes like a phoenix, or has that ship sailed? Orlando Pirates XI next season with two brand new signings What do you think is the best next move for the player? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Throwback to Saleng at his best for Orlando Pirates
Monnapule Saleng was a menace to defenders in the 2022-2023 season. Will Orlando Pirates ever see that version of him again? Once Player of the Season, now Saleng is one of the PSL's forgotten men. Orlando Pirates must find a resolution to this issue, otherwise it will detract from their on-pitch goals in 2025-2026. What is Saleng earning at Pirates? Saleng produced a dazzling output of 15 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances across all competitions in 2022-2023 to be crowned PSL Player of the Year. 2023-2024 didn't reach those heights, but class, as they say, is permanent. He was easily the best player in South Africa, by a mile. In October 2022, he bagged a match-winning brace in a 3-0 win against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final and then grabbed the only goal in the final to vanquish AmaZulu. There's no doubt that Saleng loves big games. Orlando Pirates XI next season with two brand new signings The last time 27-year-old Monnapule Saleng kicked a competitive ball for the club was in December 2024. Depending on who you believe and what you read, Saleng could be heading to Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns, Al Ahly or any number of European clubs like Anderlecht or Monaco. The talk of the town. Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix Where will Monnapule Saleng be playing his football next season? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
5 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs fans plead for Mama Joy and Saleng
The comments sections on this publication rarely disappoint. Kaizer Chiefs fans want Mamy Joy and Monnapule Saleng at Naturena. Infamous public figure Mama Jot leads a life most sports fanatics in South Africa can only dream of. Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng is still unsure where he will be playing his football next season. After Pirates hesitated to sell Monnapule Saleng, and with all possible suitors knowing he's unhappy at the club, that will certainly drive his price down. Pirates' bargaining position is significantly weakened. The player's reluctance to stay is a big issue, but that doesn't mean they can't get a good sum for the 26-year-old. The record departure in Pirates history was €2.3 million (R44 million) when Mbulelo 'Oldjohn' Mabizela moved to Tottenham in 2003-2004. It's unlikely the Sea Robbers can fetch a number in that region, but there's no reason why the 2022-2023 PSL Player of the Year shouldn't command a decent fee. The talk of the town. Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix Nobody has ever questioned the loyalty of Kaizer Chiefs fans. Just look at the continuous disappointments they have to face and they just keep getting back up off the ground. Could Mama Joy become the latest Chiefs 'Super Fan' to keep morale in the stadium up? Should Chiefs make a proposal to sign Saleng? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
5 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
No wonder Saleng wants to leave Orlando Pirates, look at his salary!
Monnapule Saleng has been painted as the bad guy by several Orlando Pirates fans. However, there's more happening than meets the eye. Mercurial winger Saleng hasn't featured for the club since December 2024. The 27-year-old will reportedly agitate for a move this winter window. According to Goal, Monnapule Saleng's salary isn't among the very highest in the PSL. It's in the region of R70,000, or R280,000 a month. It's not shabby, but it means he's not in the top percentile of earners in South Africa. 'If he were not an important asset, Bafana could not have called him,' Saleng's friend Boikanyo Maine told Sunday World . 'We are requesting that Pirates consider what he wants. It's unfair, imagine getting R70,000 but your contribution in most of the matches speaks volumes while somebody [else] is getting R500,000.' Saleng produced a dazzling output of 15 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances across all competitions in 2022-2023 to be crowned PSL Player of the Year. 2023-2024 didn't reach those heights, but class, as they say, is permanent. He was easily the best player in South Africa, by a mile. In October 2022, he bagged a match-winning brace in a 3-0 win against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final. There's no doubt that Saleng loves big games. Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng. Image: X @orlandopirates Where will Saleng play his football next season? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
6 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
‘Pirates star Saleng has done damage to football lovers in SA'
Monnapule Saleng has no future at Orlando Pirates, but how did we get here with the 2022-2023 PSL Player of the Season? 27-year-old Saleng hasn't kicked a competitive ball for Pirates since December 2024. Saleng saga timeline Regardless of what's going down behind the scenes, Bucs fans haven't taken kindly to what they perceive as poor professionalism from one of their star players., Hlengani@20 had this to say on X: 'The Saleng story has done a lot of damage to the South African football lovers. It's not clear up to now who is in the wrong between Pirates and the player. Contract issues are supposed to be handled between the club and the player's agent, transparency and legalities are supposed to be observed. On this subject, it would seem somebody is running away from the truth. That is the reason the whole matter is causing a lot of animosity between the football-loving community. It stings, it is unprofessional, and it is really bad to say the least.' Saleng produced a dazzling output of 15 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances across all competitions in 2022-2023 to be crowned PSL Player of the Year. 2023-2024 didn't reach those heights, but class, as they say, is permanent. He was easily the best player in South Africa, by a mile. In October 2022, he bagged a match-winning brace in a 3-0 win against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final. There's no doubt that Saleng loves big games. Saleng started the last campaign well with five goals in 13 outings, including a strike in the MTN8 final, but the second half of 2024-2025 has been a horror show for the player. He hasn't played a single competitive minute since the turn of the year. Ironically, his last minutes in a Pirates jersey came in a Caf Champions League group stage match against Al Ahly in early December, the club that tried to sign him. He was away with the Bafana Bafana CHAN qualifier side for a two-legged battle with Egypt. After starting the first leg, which ended 1-1, Saleng was released from the squad and returned to Pirates. Now, he's in limbo again. Pirates' most important player is returning The talk of the town. Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix Where will Saleng play his football next season? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
