Former Orlando Pirates captain Edelbert Dinha has voiced his opinion on the perplexing conundrum that is Makhehlene Makhaula’s limited role at the club.
Makhaula faces an uncertain future with the Soweto giants as his contract expires at the end of the 2023/24 PSL campaign in June.
The experienced midfielder joined Pirates in the middle of last season in January from KZN side AmaZulu FC, signing a short-term deal [18 months]. Last season, the 33-year-old was part of the Bucs squad that won the Nedbank Cup and qualified for the CAF Champions League by finishing second in second place in DStv Premiership log standings.
This season, Makhaula has struggled for some game time. This is due to injury setbacks and stiff competition for a play in the Pirates starting line-up. All-in-all, he has made 14 appearances in Pirates colours.
Makhaula recently recovered from an injury that kept him on the sidelines for almost three months. He missed 17 matches in all competitions in the process.
To add, coach Jose Riveiro has preferred to use Miguel Timm and Thabang Monare most of the time in the midfield.
EDELBERT DINHA ON MAKHEHLENE MAKHAULA’S SITUATION AT ORLANDO PIRATES
Dinha says Makhaula is a good player. It will depend on the club and the coach whether he’s part of their plans for the next seasons to come.
“Any quality player deserves to play for Orlando Pirates. The club will decide whether he’s needed or not,” Dinha told FARPost.
“If a club releases a player, it means he’s not needed. But if they decide to keep him, it means he’s quality, and he has a lot to offer the club in that regard. If the club releases him, then there is a reason behind that”.
The midfielder nicknamed “Cash” hasn’t been a regular player for the Happy People since joining them. In his second season at the club, he has only made four appearances in all competitions.
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