Chiukepo’s future uncertain at Pirates

The future of South Africa based Flames players continue to get hazy with once saviour-in-chief Chiukepo Msowoya’s time at Orlando Pirates seemingly up while teenage sensation Robin Ngalande’s Europe dream could be fading.

As of last Friday, Msowoya, the burly forward whose goals were the reason Flames rubbed shoulders with the best at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola after a 26-year absence, was spotted in Blantyre.

Msowoya would have rejoined Pirates now that his loan spell, which started in January at Platinum Stars, expired. Pirates’ publicist Mickey Modisane was clueless on Msowoya’s future.

“He is no longer with us…it’s a loss. He is not even part of the preseason squad and we do not know his whereabouts. He is not part of Pirates,” Modisane said on Wednesday in a telephone interview.

Recently, Felix Ngamanya Sapao, who brokered Msowoya’s deal in 2010 from Mozambique’s Liga Maculmana, insisted that the striker has some 18 months remaining on his Pirates contract. Sapao was not readily available.

Modisane seemed unsure of whether there were some years remaining on Msowoya’s contract, saying “on that one, let me find out from the other guy [Pirates administrator].”

South Africa’s Soccer Laduma football magazine reported Thursday that Msowoya joined for trials Premier Soccer League (PSL ) rookies, University of Pretoria “on Wednesday straight from Malawi.”

Football Association of Malawi technical director and Flames technical adviser Jack Chamangwana was, on Thursday tight-lipped and surprised to learn that Msowoya did not rejoin Pirates for preseason training.

“I thought after the Flames’ assignments, he was supposed to rejoin them. Let me try to contact him,” Chamangwana said.

Soccer Laduma also claimed that Ngalande, who was supposedly progressing in Spain with Atletico Madrid C team, often times training with the senior team, was on trials at another modest PSL side BidVest Wits University FC.

While confirming interest from South Africa teams, Ngalande’s manager Paul Mitchell last week said that it was too early for him to comment on the lad who never returned to Madrid, where he signed a four-year contract, after Flames assignments.

Quick Facts on Msowoya

—Ngalande signed for Atletico at K60 million (about $240 000).

—Msowoya was 2010 Cecafa Club Championship top scorer with Rwanda’s APR.

—Msowoya won 2007 TNM Super League Golden Boot award.