Pirates legend blasts coach over Gaba snub

South African DStv Premiership side Orlando Pirates’ legend Andries Sebola has criticised the club’s coach Mandla Ncikazi for his comments on in-form Malawian striker Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango.

Commenting on why the Flames forward was left out of the Pirates squad that beat AmaZulu 1-0 on Sunday in a Nedbank Cup tie, Ncikazi said the player’s stellar performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon does not guarantee him a place in the team.

But reacting to the coach’s comments, Sebola was quoted by The Sowetan newspaper of South Africa yesterday as having said: “Mhango is supposed to play because he’s on fire. You can’t say a scoring striker must wait for his turn.

“As I am speaking to you, I am watching the highlights of that game [Pirates versus AmaZulu] and I can tell you Mhango would have scored if he was selected.

“Mhango is Pirates’ best striker at the moment, so he must start games. Mandla is losing the plot.”

On Ncikazi’s insinuation that the PSL was bigger than the continental showpiece, Sebola said: “When he says the PSL is bigger than Afcon, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

“If he is bored with coaching Pirates, he must pack his bags and go back to [Golden] Arrows [where he coached last season],” said Sebola.

“How can the best players in the world in Sadio Mané and Mohammed Salah play Afcon if it’s not a big tournament? The PSL is smaller than Afcon.

“Riyad Mahrez wouldn’t come from Manchester City to play for Algeria if Afcon was a small competition. I don’t know what’s wrong with Ncikazi these days. Mandla has never been out of the country to represent South Africa, that’s why he talks like this about Afcon.’’

Local football analyst Charles Nyirenda also hit out at the Pirates coach, saying: “Regardless of the competition at Pirates, Gaba proved he is one of the best strikers at the Buccaneers. If they can’t accept that, let the player go where he will get game time rather than wasting talent like that.”

Mhango refused to comment on the issue yesterday, saying: “It would be good if I do not say anything. This issue involves my coach and if those were his views, so be it. I respect him.” Mhango scored three goals in three matches at Afcon, including a beauty against Morocco, which is being tipped to win goal of the tournament.