Gabadinho Mhango is gradually sweeping Bloemfontein Celtic off their feet with the South Africa Premiership club’s supporters rebranding him as ‘Remember My Promise’—a rallying call that he must always score.
Like a duck taking to the water, Mhango has effortlessly transferred his Big Bullets popularity to Celtic owing to his four league goals in nine matches; a record that has Celtic climbing up the Premier Soccer League (PSL) ladder to ninth.
Therefore, nicknaming Mhango, whose full name is Frank Gabadinho Mhango, was inevitable, Celtic supporters committee manager Pule Malebo told Weekend Nation in an exclusive interview this week.
“When he signed for us, he said ‘my job is to score and I want to win trophies, so this is our reminder to him. That is why supporters celebrate so much when he scores. Everyone is crazy about his work rate and pace. This boy makes football look simple,” Mabelo said, adding that the fans also rate, Limbikani Mzava, Mhango’s compatriot highly.
A subject last year of heated debate over his earlier stated age, Mhango’s average of a goal every two games defy the fact that he is yet to play a full game in the PSL where most Malawian players struggle in their early years.
“Gabadinho “Remember my Promise” Mhango is not part of the travelling team to Rustenburg due to suspension. The team is leaving during lunch time. Wishing the boys all the best. In you we trust,” Celtic supporters Facebook page read the previous Thursday when Gabadinho missed a trip to Platinum Stars through yellow card suspension.
In reaction to Gabadinho’s missing the match on the same page, Celtic fan Sandiso Mnukwana wrote: “I like Mhango’s work rate,” while Smanga Siwelele Mbewu added “In you, I believe you can make these bunch of singing Siwelele [Celtic fans] non-stop.”
Recently, Flames midfielder Robert Ng’ambi praised his PSL countryman: “Gaba; the boy is just too good. Mwana ndi wampira uyu[This boy is a natural footballer].”
In its players’ profile, South Africa’s MTNFootball.com wrote: “He has a stocky physique and cannot be underestimated as he is light and nippy on his feet and has a natural eye for goal.”
