Khanye: Mbule should start for Bafana Bafana

Khanye: Mbule should start for Bafana Bafana

By Benjamin Nyirenda

Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule was called to the South African national team Bafana Bafana after the injury to teammate Patrick “Tito” Maswangwani ahead of the two World Cup 2026 Qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Junior Khanye has said that the injury to Maswangwani was a blessing in disguise to give Mbule a chance to be called by coach Hugo Broos to the national team.

Talking to Eswatini Daily News in an exclusive interview Khanye said that since Mbule has been called to Bafana Bafana he should start in the forthcoming games.

“My brother there is no coach in the entire world who can deny Sipho Mbule what God gave him. There is no coach who can deny the talent Sipho Mbule has. I am talking about the normal coach who understands the game. Obvious coaches understand the game but I am talking about the coach who who understands that such players have not been given a platform especially in the so called modern football. That boy there is no in the entire world who can not play him. Coaches like Pep Guadiola, Carlo Ancelloti, Enrico the PSG Coach, Michel Arteta at Arsenal. The late Ted Dumitru, Rhulani Mokwena, Pitso Mosimane. I am talking about top class coaches. There is no coach who can not play him. I don’t understand why he is not playing at Pirates. I hear triple talking about Sipho has to work harder.

Its true I also agree he has t0 work a bit harder. Sipho needs to do extras you know. But as a person, as player if people don’t trust you, you become demoralized. So people should have faith and trust in Sipho Mbule because they have signed him at Orlando Pirates as a play maker. There is no player in South Africa currently that I can compare to Sipho Mbule in central midfield. There is no player like Sipho Mbule in central midfield in South Africa at the moment. Tito Maswangwani is a pity plays at number 10. Yes Tito has dropped now but has talent as well. I also count him but Sipho is on another level you see. He is of the best talent I have seen in central midfield. He reminds me of Thabo Lawrence Mooki. He reminds me of Jabulani Mendu.

That guy us on another level. So credit to Hugo Broos to select him just to prove to Orlando Pirates and coach and technical team that he is of the best even if they don’t play him or play him as an impact player. Sometimes they choose not to play him. But I will call him to the national team. They can’t call him to the national team and he is not in the starting eleven. He deserves to start for Bafana Bafana. So Sipho, Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou must make peace and he can’t play Abdoulaye Mariko ahead of Sipho. He deserves to get a call up. With me I expected that. Even at the Afcon finals you will see Sipho. If he can get the platform to national team. I am not talking about the Friday game or against Nigeria. They must put the faith. But Hugo Broos has seen what I am talking about. We give him credit and his technical team that they saw it. The best talent in central midfielder in South Africa. I am talking about a play maker. Very comfortable on the ball. Arrogant on the ball. He is very skilful. He can score goals. He has a great vision. Can make the team play and can be individual as well. So such people you need to protect them. Yes he has made mistakes in the past. But he is a human he never killed anyone. He just needs to grab his chances with both hands now. He has been given a lifeline by the whole nation. So each and every fan loves Sipho. Sundowns fan, Polokwane City fan,AmaZulu fan, Sekhukhune United fan. The whole nation. Sipho should not let them down. So also so far we haven’t heard anything bad. He just have to improve his work rate and put faith him him. It demoralises that you work hard and they put you on the bench and use players who are not even ahead of you. You can’t play Mariko ahead of Mbule. At Pirates or Betway Premiership as a whole there is no player like him. The central midfield there is no player like him and that’s why I say he reminds me of Lawrence Thabo Mooki. Similar very talented. Once you show faith in him he will show you miracles because he can win you matches. I am happy for the boy. This grows his confidence. You can put him on the bench but you can’t put a good man down. But we thank Dr Irvin Khoza by giving him the chance. We never saw that. Also Mpumi Khoza, Nkosana Khoza. They did a great job to bring him to Pirates. Well done for believing in him. He is playing in the biggest team in the African continent. So I am very excited. Tito was not injured by mistake its a blessing in disguise,” Khanye said.

In addition Khanye said that he could not compare Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane to Mbule as his replacement at Bafana Bafana as they two different kind of players in their own rights.

“I don’t want to compare them. Take nothing away from Themba Zwane, Mshishi. He has got a brilliant career. He is clean. Disciplined, dedicated. I am not close to him but as far as I heard he is a very quite person who talks on the pitch. The career talks loud. But Sipho is on a different level. You know its a game of opinions. Sipho is a person like me. The career is not clean. There have been stop and gos because id behaviour. He falls under those talented players who didn’t last long. He is lucky he is still in the game. Some of us pur careers didn’t last long. But he is special. Zwane is good but Sipho graduated at SuperSport United academy and he didn’t take long. He was not loaned out. He was a star player at SuperSport. Sundowns bought a gem there. Mshishi has a brilliant career but I can’t compare to Sipho. To answer your question its just match fitness as he is not playing regularly at Pirates but with time there is something he can do there. I am not comparing him with Zwane but if given a free role and say look here you play. He doesn’t lose the ball,” Khanye concluded.
Bafana Bafana faces Lesotho on Friday then Nigeria on Tuesday next week.