Monnapule Saleng’s consistent form and outstanding performances have made him one of the most talked-about football players in South Africa.
His statistics indicate a top performer – 12 goals and five assists in 18 matches in all competitions.
Saleng, in the best form of his life, has also contributed directly to 17 goals in 17 starts in Orlando Pirates colours this campaign.
And as much as coach Jose Riveiro resists singling out players for praise, he has mentioned Saleng as one of his stand-out performers.
Riveiro, who hardly gives much away in his media engagements, explained why he is challenging his Pirates troops to rise to Saleng’s level.
The Bucs talisman, Saleng, walked away with yet another Man of the Match accolade.
This time, it came after netting a hat-trick and providing an assist as Pirates thrashed Swallows FC 4-1 in a DStv Premiership clash at Dobsonville Stadium on Friday night.
Saleng has been a vital cog for the Buccaneers, and his contributions helped the club win the MTN8 title.
PIRATES COACH Riveiro on Saleng
“You know, I see this game like a collective, so even if I get a trophy, it’s not for me but for the team; it’s for the coaching staff as we are working together,” said Riveiro.
“Individual awards in football, I understand the meaning, and I understand it’s attractive, and it’s going to be always for the ones, as I said before, who assist because it’s the beauty of the game, and it’s going to be difficult at that trophy is going to a centre back for whatever reason.”
The Spanish tactician, Riveiro, says Saleng winning the coveted PSL Footballer of the Season accolade will be a testament to Pirates’ performances as a ‘collective’.
“We can analyse, so if one of my players gets a trophy, I’m so happy for him because it means that the team benefits from that individual contribution.
“We need that as well, and I like I said, our job is to help them to play, to play good football together, which is not that easy, and there are many cases where we have many names of teams with a lot of talent that they don’t manage to play well that’s the difficulty of the task.
“But [an] individual [award], as I said, it’s good for the player because it’s going to be good for the future.
“And I hope that the one that you mentioned [Saleng] can fight with any other player in our squad in our team because for that prize [Footballer of the Season award] because it’s going to be a good thing for Pirates, and that’s what matters.”
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