UPINGTON TO REVISIT MAKGALWA’S FUTURE IN JUNE
Mamelodi Sundowns have finally cut ties with one of their academy graduates in striker Keletso Makgalwa, who has since joined Motsepe Foundation Championship side Upington City.
The Siya crew can reveal that the forward, who has been jumping from club to club in both the Premier Soccer League topflight as well as the lower division, was signed on a deal until June 30 next year.
It’s understood Golden Arrows were also sniffing around with the view of adding Makgalwa to their roster – however, the club led by Karabo Mogashoa – the daughter of Moroka Swallows chairman David Mogashoa – beat them to the signature of a player once considered a future Bafana Bafana star.
The last team the 26-year-old played for was All Stars FC in the second tier of South African football, where he was on loan from
Sundowns, but with the club sold to Black Leopards, he returned to his parent club.
Following months on the sidelines and without any suitors willing to buy him out, Downs finally agreed to issue Makgalwa with a clearance to make him a free agent, and this is understood to have alerted the interested parties.
Soccer Laduma has been led to believe Makgalwa’s future will be assessed at the end of the campaign in June next year when his shortterm contract is approaching the end, meaning his form will play a big role.
Upington are currently in 12th place on the standings after eight matches and will still feel they can challenge for promotion, especially with a player like Makgalwa on their books.
MALUKA CONFIRMS VISIT TO BURNLEY
Finland-based South African Head of Performance and former pro footballer Leroy Maluka has provided details on his visit to Premier League club Burnley recently, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew.
The 37-year-old has been working as Head of Performance at Finnish side Espoon Palloseuran Jalkapallo (EPS), having been in the country for more than a decade since his playing days.
The Cape Town-born man is also a qualified football coach who holds a UEFA B coaching licence and can perform duties as a fitness coach as well, having obtained a diploma in fitness and exercise.
“Basically, I went there because one of my friends is the assistant coach to (Vincent) Kompany. The other friend I have there is the Head of Performance, and because I also work as the Head of Performance, I went there to see how they apply themselves and the methods they use. I spent one week with them, and it was a wonderful experience just to be in that environment to see how they work,” confirmed Maluka.
“I had conversations with the assistant coaches and so on. For example, former player Craig Bellamy, who is an assistant coach there, is one of the guys I spoke to. We basically spoke the same language and it was nothing like rocket science to me because we see the game the same way and we see the physical aspect of the game the same way,” he said.