Former Orlando Pirates striker Andries Sebola has explained why Mohau Nkota’s season-long loan return to the Buccaneers is the ideal platform for the attacker to reboot his career and fight his way back into the Bafana Bafana setup.
Nkota secured a loan deal back to the Soweto giants from Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ettifaq, just a year after making the high-profile switch to the Middle East ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, his maiden season abroad was severely disrupted by a serious injury, limiting his impact and ultimately costing him a spot in the national team squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Evaluating the move, Sebola believes returning to familiar surroundings will allow the 21-year-old to rebuild his confidence, rediscover his form, and catch the eye of the newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane.
WHY SEBOLA APPROVES OF NKOTA’S RETURN
“I think it’s a good move for him to regain his form. If you look at his record in Saudi Arabia, he played 19 games, scored twice, and registered very few assists,” Sebola told FARPost.
“He simply wasn’t getting enough game time. Even though the financial rewards were good over there, if he wants to get back into the national team, he needs to be playing regularly on the pitch. Playing locally gives him that opportunity. Coach Pitso is keen on giving youngsters a chance, so coming back is the right step for his development.”
‘NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY FOR NKOTA’
Sebola also dismissed suggestions that returning to the Betway Premiership could cause the talented forward to become complacent or settle into a comfort zone.
“He is not the type of player to get comfortable. The competition at Pirates right now is intense, regardless of where he features in the attack,” Sebola added. “Look at the form of players like Gamphani Lungu in those wide areas—that is where Nkota operates.
“He will have to work extremely hard just to earn a place in the starting XI, let alone regain his spot in the Bafana Bafana squad.”
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