How Patrick Maswanganyi influenced Thalente Mbatha’s move to Pirates
Orlando Pirates’ recruit Thalente Mbatha has revealed how Patrick Maswanganyi influenced his move to the Buccaneers.
The duo played together at SuperSport United. Mbatha and Maswanganyi were not just teammates at Matsatsantsa but very close friends in real life.
Mbatha joined the Sea Robbers during the January transfer window period from the Tshwane giants, SuperSport. The 23-year-old midfielder moved to Pirates on a loan deal till the end of the campaign, with an option to sign a permanent contract.
Since joining the ‘Happy People’ in January, the talented footballer has played two games and shows signs of growing in influence as a midfielder and willingness to do his job wholeheartedly.
THALENTE MBATHA ON HOW PATRICK MASWANGANYI PLAYED A ROLE IN HIM JOINING PIRATES
“Patrick Maswanganyi is a very close friend of mine, so we spent more time together while he was still at SuperSport, and the training times were not the same,” said Mbatha.
“So, whenever he joined Orlando Pirates, the first message he sent me was like ‘Yoh bro! You must come here next season’, not knowing that what he is saying is actually going to happen.
“So, whenever we were talking he was like you need to work hard, you need to push. As long as you are coming from SuperSport and you don’t lose the mentality of working hard, you will surely be here at Orlando Pirates because everything is fair.”
THALENTE MBATHA ON WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE JOINING ORLANDO PIRATES
Mbatha also divulged how a lot has changed since joining the Jose Riveiro-coached side and how he has taken the pressure that comes with it.
“It’s a lot of things that have changed because now, people are looking. What I could say whenever you are doing good, not everyone in their eyes you’re doing good,” he added.
“So, I feel like is something that you need to swallow and say that whatever I’m doing, I must not stop doing it because people will always talk about whether is good or bad. That’s what I told myself after joining Orlando Pirates.”
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