Pirates’ Radiopane plans despite injury woes

Orlando Pirates’ plans to recall Boitumelo Radiopane from his loan spell at Cape Town Spurs remain in place regardless of the player’s injury situation, informants have indicated to the Siya crew.

Radiopane is in his second season with the Mother City outfit on loan from Pirates.

However, the rising star has been delayed on his progress by injury after doing so well in his first season and contributed meaningfully to the Cape side’s promotion to the elite league.

Having sat out the entire first half of the season, while recovering from injury, Radiopane made his longawaited return in February in the 3-1 win over AmaZulu FC.

The striker was again given a run in three other matches, including the Nedbank Cup Last 32 loss to the University of Pretoria, before picking up a knock against parent club Pirates after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Having previously made his senior debut for the Buccaneers, after doing well with the reserve team where he was scoring goals regularly, the club planned for this to be the 22-year-old’s last season on loan before recalling him to fight for his place in coach Jose Riveiro’s team, according to sources.

“The plan has been for Boitumelo Radiopane to go back to Pirates at the end of the season and nothing has changed in that planning. What is important for him is to regain full fitness after the long injury layoff and that will be key,” said the source.

“Pirates are hoping to welcome him back in the same way they did with Azola Matrose from his loan at Chippa (United). It’s just that for Matrose too, it took longer than expected for him to recover but everything is under control and both players have got age on their side,” the source said.