Why Mhango might prove impossible to ignore when Pirates face co-coach Ncikazi's former club Arrows

Orlando Pirates’ positive start to their African Confederation Cup group campaign remains overshadowed by a clamour to play Frank “Gabadinho” Mhango, which might prove impossible for the club’s coaches to ignore when they meet Lamontville Golden Arrows on Wednesday.

But co-coach Mandla Ncikazi, who last week set tongues wagging with his favourable comparison of the Premier Soccer League to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, remained non-committal about fielding Mhango, suggesting there might be changes and also wanting to try to keep a consistent team selection for the midweek DStv Premiership clash in Soweto which comes before a weekend trip to North Africa.

Mhango cut a forlorn figure in the stands at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday as he sat with the other players who had been cut from the match day squad, for the opening Group B game against JS Saoura of Algeria.

Pirates went with Kwame Peprah, Deon Hotto and Thembinkosi Lorch upfront though it was defenders Happy Jele and Bandile Shadu who scored in the 2-0 victory.

The Mhanago issue was raised again before the match, in the pregame press conference, where Ncikazi repeated his assertion that whatever Mhango might have achieved at the Cup of Nations with Malawi, was no guarantee of a place in the Buccaneers’ starting line-up.

Ncikazi was quick to use the platform to reassert his point about the standard of the PSL and some of the teams at last month’s tournament in Cameroon, which cause something of a storm last week.

He kept to much the same theme, pointing out that several players who were stars for their national teams at the Cup of Nations did not enjoy same status with their SA employers, and that therefore national team form was not always the same at club level.

“The number one goalkeeper for Ivory Coast plays at JDR Stars in the GladAfrica Championship and the number one goalkeeper for Gabon at the finals is the third choice at AmaZulu. He cannot even get on the bench,” said Ncikazi. “They were both heroes for their countries in Cameroon.”

Mhango might have scored a spectacular goal for Malawi in Cameroon but the Pirates boss was adamant that was no key to opening up a place in the club’s starting line-up.

Pirates depart Johannesburg on Thursday for their second Group B game at Al Ittihad of Libya in Benghazi on Sunday but must play Arrows before that and there should be some changes, he hinted.

“As much as possible we'll keep the same team again but then, it's important to rotate if you're playing today (Sunday) and then again on Wednesday,” said Ncikazi after Sunday’s victory.

“We must consider how much load, how much mileage have the players have had. If there's a need to change, we will change, but as much as possible, we wouldn't change the team if there's no reason for us to change,” he added.