Joining Sundowns a brave decision

The next challenge facing Maluleka is how to break into a central midfield filled with so many experienced choices at Chloorkop.

Hlompho Kekana, Andile Jali and Tiyani Mabunda are at the forefront, while Oupa Manyisa, Sammy Seabi and Lucky Mohomi are all waiting in that queue, along with new signing Grant Magerman from Ajax Cape Town.

That is what is makes his former teammate at both Tuks and SuperSport United – Clifford Mulenga – suggest that joining Sundowns was a brave decision.

“I think it was a very brave move of him to join Sundowns and I genuinely hope it wasn’t motivated by the finances. I also hope that he is not leaving Chiefs because of personal issues.

“Truth be told is that moving from Chiefs to Sundowns and vice versa can never be about growth because these are two clubs at the same level. I mean, he was playing regularly at Chiefs and doing well.

“Maybe going to Sundowns is because this is a club that has been winning a lot more in the recent past. I hope he is going to work hard at Sundowns and maintain a regular place in the team like he is doing at Chiefs.

“Sundowns have their own reasons for signing him so I am sure they have a plan for him. I just hope that in all of this it doesn’t mean that George now must go and start afresh and be sitting on the bench because he is not young anymore.

“I hope he is doing the right thing

and it works out well for him. I just hope he doesn’t go there and get frustrated like what happened with George Lebese and Oupa Manyisa. In his case it is a brave move being made by a brave warrior and I can only wish him the best because I know that he is not afraid of competition and believes in himself,” says Mulenga.

What about the silverware factor? “I wouldn’t have a lot of the finer details, but I think maybe he should have stuck it out at Chiefs because that is a club just as capable of winning trophies and with a huge history,” adds Mulenga.

He continues: “Maybe he is chasing continental football, I wouldn’t know. Maybe he is chasing the money, I don’t know, but I hope that with the decision that he has taken he is doing it because it is the right move.

“There are a lot of good players now retired who did very well personally but

He has scored just once in his last 49 appearances for Chiefs stretching back to the beginning of last season, which is why yesteryear star Lefa Gqosha feels he won’t be missed.

“You could see with his body language when he entered the pitch that he was not performing to his best anymore,” argues Gqosha, who spent seven years with Chiefs and won six trophies.

“That boy is a good player and I watched him while he was at Tuks as a kid and he was one of the players that we wanted at [BidVest] Wits when I was the assistant to Eric Tinkler. We approached him and he told us that he had already signed a pre-contract with SuperSport United.

“I knew what he was capable of already but lately he hasn’t been showing enough. So, I don’t think Chiefs will cry much when he is gone because his contribution has been very minimal in terms of his attacking abilities.