In a startling revelation, Orlando Pirates‘ assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi disclosed that former head coach Jose Riveiro had his sights set on taking rising star Mbekezeli Mbokazi with him to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Riveiro, who enjoyed a successful three-year tenure with the Buccaneers—winning five trophies—left the club at the end of the previous season to take the helm at Al Ahly.
Despite this, his time in Egypt was short-lived, as he was sacked after a poor start to the season and an early exit from the FIFA Club World Cup.
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A Standout Talent
Speaking on Prime Time Sport with Victor Molefe on Ukhozi FM, Ncikazi confirmed that Riveiro was keen to bring the talented young centre-back to North Africa. “When you look at the TLB, Mbokazi. It’s scaring to see such a young boy at that age, who’s at that level now.
“Everyone is commending him, Jose wanted him in Egypt,” Ncikazi stated as quoted by iDiski Times.
The Pirates mentor added, “And also we had a meeting with the Bafana coach Hugo Broos, he says this boy has to go play in Europe.”
Praise for Pirates’ Scouting
Ncikazi used the opportunity to highlight the excellent work of the Orlando Pirates scouting department, which he credited for identifying and nurturing exceptional young talent.
He noted that the club has a history of unearthing players who may not be widely known but have the potential to fit into the team’s style of play.
During the interview, he singled out other promising players like Simphiwe Selepe, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Lebone Seema as examples of the scouting department’s sharp eye for talent.
“It’s been a while since we had such a special talent at that age. But then we have a lot of talent at Pirates, the likes of [Simphiwe] Selepe that you haven’t seen this season, [Relebohile] Mofokeng who was also identified in a different way.
“Our club is doing an unusual, maybe other clubs will also learn. We got [Lebone] Seema where he was not even playing as a regular but look at where he is now, you can see our scouts have a sharp eye in identifying a talent that can fit into the team.”