Monnapule Saleng’s Agent Clears the Air: ‘Orlando Pirates Weren’t at Fault’

• Monnapule Saleng’s agent, Karabo Tshabuse, opened up about the Orlando Pirates star’s recent struggles
• The winger’s absence from the Buccaneers squad sparked widespread speculation, with rumours about his future
• Tshabuse clarified what really happened behind the scenes, addressing the noise and shedding light on Saleng’s state of mind

Orlando Pirates loanee Monnapule Saleng's agent, Karabo Tshabuse of P-Management Sport, has spoken on the issue surrounding the player that saw him laid off and not playing for the Buccaneers until his loan move to newly promoted Orbit College this season.

There were various reports and speculation on how he was treated at Pirates, with rumours at the time claiming Saleng was unhappy with his salary. At one point, he was even linked with a move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Speaking on the Behind the Boot podcast, Tshabuse clarified several thorny issues involving the 27-year-old winger.

Mental fitness struggles, not contractual issues

Tshabuse referred to the club’s Giants documentary, where Saleng admitted, “I’m not okay.” She said this was already an answer in itself, showing that his mental fitness did not match his physical condition during that season.

She explained that people only started connecting the dots after the speculation about his future, but Saleng had been open about his struggles:

“There was no contractual issue with Saleng and Orlando Pirates. The club and the player brokered a very good deal, and one that helped Saleng achieve a multitude of things, including buying property.”

No truth in Al Ahly rumours

When the Orbit College loan move was finalised, Saleng had not played for Pirates since December 2024. Tshabuse insisted the Al Ahly reports were false and that the player had no intention of leaving the Buccaneers at the time.

“Orlando Pirates can never be faulted on that score. It can also not be faulted for what the player went through. The Al Ahly deal was nothing more than a rumour. At that stage, Saleng was not looking to leave. He was invested in the team, just going through something,” she said.

She also revealed that Saleng has an Orlando Pirates badge tattoo, symbolising what it meant for him to play for his dream club.

Social media pressure made it worse

Tshabuse further noted that while Pirates supported Saleng, social media made his situation harder.

“He needed the audience to hold the line for him, and unfortunately, social media can be powerful to build but also powerful to exacerbate and break a situation. So, we found ourselves having to explain a season where people were ruthless. I then decided not to comment, because I couldn’t say my client needed mental fitness to match his physical fitness,” she said.

Watch the full interview below:

Monnapule Saleng struggling for form at Orbit College

Briefly News previously reported that Orbit College coach Pogiso Makhonye admitted that Monnapule Saleng was yet to live up to expectations since joining the team on loan from Orlando Pirates, raising questions about the winger’s impact on the squad.

Makhonye had initially backed the winger publicly, even handing him the captain’s armband upon arrival in a show of confidence.

Source: Briefly News