IN DARK OVER BUCS MOVE
ABBUBAKER Mobara says he is in the dark about his move to Orlando Pirates.
Playing for Bafana Bafana at the Cosafa Cup‚ Mobara said he had not been contacted directly regarding the move.
He has displayed class and versatility that would have attracted Pirates to him by switching in two matches seamlessly between defensive midfield and right-back.
Pirates announced on Tuesday that an agreement had been made to sign the Ajax Cape Town pair of winger Riyaad Norodien and Mobara‚ who can play as comfortably at his preferred centre-back position‚ right-back and in defensive midfield.
“I was told not to answer anything about Pirates and I won’t do it.
“I can’t answer anything because nothing is done yet‚” Mobara said after playing another starring role for Bafana in their 5-1 Cosafa semifinal thrashing of 10-man Swaziland on Wednesday night.
“But I’m just grateful that Pirates would be interested in me.
“They announced it but no one approached me [or] consulted me about it. I don’t know about anything.”
Against Swaziland‚ Mobara‚ as he had done in the penalties quarterfinal win against Lesotho‚ started in defensive midfield and then switched to right-back‚ where South Africa were being exposed.
Bafana – who have brought an U23 team to the tournament in preparation for the Olympics in August – again started slowly‚ conceding a 38th-minute strike to former SuperSport United winger Tony Tsabedze.
Thabiso Kutumela scored an equaliser from a free-kick in the 52nd minute after Judas Moseamedi appeared to dive – also leading to Swazi centre-back Siyabonga Mdluli being red-carded.
Then the floodgates opened with substitute Menzi Masuku (a brace)‚ Lebogang Phiri and Judas Moseamedi getting in on the scoring act.
“Ja‚ obviously we started off slow once again‚ and then picked things up in the second half,” Mobara said.
“I think going into the final we just have to play our normal game‚ as we played at the start of the second half.
“We have to try to start off with a bang.
“Whoever we play there‚ if they go up first we might not be able to come back in the second half.
“We have to push in the first half to get the early goal this time and control the game from there.
He said: “I’ll go anywhere the coach puts me. I’m comfortable in any position‚ and with both feet.”
Bafana will have Mobara’s new Bucs teammate‚ Gift Motupa‚ back from suspension for the final against Botswana‚ who beat Democratic Republic of Congo in their quarterfinal.