Manqele must slim down for Stars spot
EDWARD Manqele is back where his football career began, at the Free State Stars, and has been impressing in trials over the last weeks, but will not be offered a contract unless he drastically loses weight.
Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena has told the 30-year-old player that he must slim down to secure a future at the club.
“We will try and see if he can lose the weight – and if that proves to be the case – then we are good to go‚” Mokoena said yesterday.
Manqele has struggled with his shape and fitness over the last seasons and been unable to replicate the form he showed in 2011, when he burst onto the Premier Soccer League scene in Stars’ colours.
Manqele was a late bloomer, already 24 years old when he signed for Stars – from amateur club Trabzon – from his home base in Mohlakeng‚ neighbouring Randfontein, on Gauteng’s West Rand.
He scored 14 goals in his first season at Free State Stars and was immediately snapped up by Pretoria club Mamelodi Sundowns for the following season.
After a season at Sundowns‚ Manqele was loaned to Moroka Swallows before going back to the Brazilians‚ who were horrified at his size and immediately sent him on a six week “fat-attack” programme.
Manqele fell out with the club over that and was allowed to leave, for Port Elizabeth’s Chippa United.
Kaizer Chiefs then signed him in mid-2015, but in two seasons he spent at Naturena, Manqele started in only 12 games and scored only a single goal.
He was among a bevy of players culled by Amakhosi at the end of last season – only to be given another opportunity to prove himself at his old club in the Free State.
Manqele has won four full international caps for South Africa – his first in early 2012 and last towards the end of 2013.