Orbit College FC head coach Pogiso Makhoye has opened up on the slow integration of former Orlando Pirates midfielder Abdoulaye S. Mariko into the club’s starting line-up.
The 24-year-old defensive midfielder joined the North West-based outfit on a permanent deal in March 2026, seeking to revive his career.
Mariko arrived in South Africa with high expectations when he signed for Pirates from Malian giants Djoliba AC in July 2025. However, the move failed to spark, leading to a loan move to Chippa United just a month later.
His time with the Chilli Boys was cut short after he only managed to feature in two games. It’s worth noting that the Malian footballer left Pirates without making a single official appearance for the Soweto giants.
Since arriving at the Mswenko Boys two months ago, Mariko has participated in just two matches, featuring against Golden Arrows and Durban City FC in April.
‘WE ARE BUILDING HIM GRADUALLY’: POGISO MAKHOYE
Speaking after Orbit College’s 2-1 win against Magesi FC in their Betway Premiership tie at Seshego Stadium on Tuesday night, Makhoye explained that the technical team is taking a cautious approach with the midfielder’s match fitness and adaptation to their system.
“Well, he has played only two games because of match fitness and all of that. Also, the tempo in the PSL is too high,” Makhoye told the media. “We wanted to bring him in today [against Magesi], but we had to protect him. This was because we were under pressure and we didn’t want to crack.”
The coach went on to emphasise that the game situation required seasoned players rather than introducing a player still finding his feet.
“So, we needed the experience of the likes of Atisang Batsi to control the lead that we had. We didn’t want to risk it too much. If you could check, we made four substitutions,” he added.
Despite the slow start, Makhoye remains confident that the former Djoliba man will eventually become a key figure for the side.
“We have a very young squad, but Mariko will get his chance because we are not going to rush him. We will build him gradually,” Makhoye stated.
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