MTNFootball

MTNFootball’s assessment of the best transfers made by each PSL club so far and why they are good or bad.

Part 5

Orlando Pirates

Ayanda Gcaba (from Free State Stars)

Why it is a good move:

He’s big, strong, young and versatile. Gcaba will also be hungry to prove himself and a successful Pirates team is the perfect place to do that.

Why not:

Pirates already have plenty of strength in his preferred positions, centre-back and left-back, so there’s a real danger he could become a mere ‘squad’ player.

Patrick Phungwayo (from Bidvest Wits)

Why it is a good move:

He’s one of the most underrated left-backs in the country and Pirates is the kind of place he could get the recognition he deserves. He’s also itching to prove himself after an unsuccessful spell overseas.

Why not:

Bucs have so many options at left-back right now (Thabo Matlaba and Ayanda Gcaba are strong candidates) that if Phungwayo gets injured or suspended, he will have an almighty struggle on his hands to win his place back. That’s if he is first choice to start with…

Onyekachi Okonkwo (from Al Kharaitiyat, Qatar)

Why it is a good move:

He knows the club and the league well, having played at Pirates before. He fills the ‘experienced pro’ slot in midfield that was left vacant by Isaac Chansa and will add that extra bit of steel that Bucs sometimes lack in the middle of the park.

Why not:

Will Bucs really break up the successful Jali-Manyisa central midfield partnership? And what about Ntshumayelo? He’s also proved a fine performer for the club. Okonkwo will have his work cut out to win a regular starting berth…

Bidvest Wits

Tlou Molekwane

Why it is a good signing:

Molekwane has played at a high profile club like Kaizer Chiefs and showed during his time there he has the ability to compete with the best. His experience with Chiefs will also help him to deal with the pressure from the demanding Roger De Sa and Wits fans. He will also provide that added emphasis in attack down the right flank as a wing back where he will produce an extra man going forward and has the ability to produce quality crosses into the box.

Why not:

Sometimes he focuses too much on going forward and neglects his duties at the back which may leave the defence exposed.

Tinashe Nengomasha

Why it is a good signing:

Nengomasha is a vastly experienced central midfielder who will added much needed know how to an inexperienced Wits midfield.
He is a great defensive midfielder who will help hold the Wits team together. He was the anchor man in the heart of the midfield for Kaizer chiefs for over a decade and he is sure to excel at Wits as well.

Why not:

Many consider Nengomasha to be past his best. While he still intimidates his opponents with his no-nonsense attitude and hard tackling, he has lost some of his pace and that could cost him in the middle of the park in terms of losing ball possession and committing unnecessary fouls.

Kaizer Chiefs

Brilliant Khuzwayo

Why it is a good signing:

Khuzwayo is a young up and coming ‘keeper who has represented his country at the U23 level and has one national cap. He has good reflexes and will try compete for the number one spot.

Why not:

Khuzwayo is a waste of money as he will probably be the third choice ‘keeper behind Bartman and Khune. He is unlikely to see much game time, if any.

SuperSport United

George Maluleka (From Ajax Cape Town)

Why it is a good signing:

Maluleka re-joins SuperSport United for a second stint with the club and will be familiar with the surroundings. His form last season saw him receive a Bafana call-up and he will add to the quality of the SuperSport midfield, adding to what can sometimes be an erratic midfield.

Why not:

Maluleka was unsuccessful in his first stint at SuperSport United where he struggled to fit into the style of play. His biggest challenge will be if he can adapt from the Ajax style of play to the SuperSport style.

Part 4

Platinum Stars:

Patrick Malokase (loan made permanent)

Why it is a good signing:

He proved while on loan last season that Stars need his experience and ability to create and score goals. He also showed that he wants to be at the club, which is good for Stars.

Why not:

Unless Stars sign some more quality to support a player like Malokase and build their squad, then they are unlikely to get the best out of him.

SuperSport United:

Bevan Fransman from Hapoel

Why it is a good signing:

Fransman is expected to bring a lot of experience into the squad having been abroad for four years. With his experience of having won the Israel State Cup twice, Gavin Hunt will be looking to utilize all of his skill and leadership to strengthen his defence, having said goodbye to Morgan Gould.

Why not:

Being away for some time could well have an effect on Fransman, who to his credit, performed very well at Moroka Swallows before he left for Israel. He will need to get used to the pace of the game and trickery of the forwards very quickly.

Clifford Mulenga from Celtic

Why it is a good signing:

Mulenga is a classy player and there is no doubt about that. He has shown in glimpses that he has bags of ability and can score goals when they are most needed. At a club like SuperSport he will get very fit and there will be many scoring chances coming his way.

Why not:

Mulenga is often seen to lack the desire and consistency in front of goal. Often the frontrunner of disciplinary issues, it wouldn’t be surprising if he, and the disciplinarian Gavin Hunt, are at loggerheads soon.

University of Pretoria:

Warren Bishop from Santos

Why it is a good signing:

Bishop played his best football while at AmaTuks, before he joined AmaZulu and more recently Santos. He will know the environment well and can bring stability to the defence.

Why not:

His lack of game time for Santos this season will work against him, from a physical and mental point of view.

Part 3:

Mamelodi Sundowns

Tebogo Langerman from SuperSport

Why it is a good signing:

Langerman is a decent left back because he is strong and gets up and down the flank, adding an attacking element to his game which Sundowns will appreciate. He has also learnt to cross the ball and take free kicks while at SuperSport United.

Why not:

Sundowns already have Punch Masenamela doing this job at left back so it is anyone’s guess how they will keep both players happy, because both will expect to play.

Thamsanqa Sangweni from AmaZulu

Why it is a good signing:

He has proven at AmaZulu that he is a key midfielder and has become versatile having also played in the heart of defence. With Esrom Nyandoro and Surprise Moriri getting older, Sangweni is the future of Sundowns’ deep midfield area.

Why not:

Nyandoro and Moriri have not retired just yet and Hlompho Kekana is arguably the best of a new era of central midfielders who can defend and attack. Sangweni has never been out of KZN and will now face the challenges of settling at big-spending Sundowns.

Maritzburg United

The club have not yet made any signings worth analysing.

Moroka Swallows

Felix Obada from Maritzburg United

Why it is a good signing:

He has pace to burn and gives his side a real attacking edge. He might need some polishing up, but if Gordon Igesund remains as coach, then he will be in the best possible coaching hands.

Why not:

Although he has a lot pace he lacks composure and has a poor final touch or pass and very few of his runs end up with the ball in the back of the net.

Orlando Pirates

Cebo Masuku from Black Leopards

Why it is a good signing:

Masuku looked like Leopards’ most talented and potent attacking player last season, though he did fall out of favour at the club and got relatively little playing time as a result.

Why not:

Masuku may have shone at Black Leopards but he will find a place in the Pirates starting XI hard to come by. It is a waste of a purchase as Masuku will be competing with the likes of Tlou Segolela, Dikgang Mabalane, Njabulo Manqana and SifisoMyeni for the right wing position.

Part 2:

Bloemfontein Celtic:

Siyabonga Nontshinga from Cosmos

Why it is a good signing:

Celtic is the type of club where there is less pressure than at the traditional ‘big three’ so leaving Jomo Cosmos for Siwelele is the right step in his career growth.

Why not:

Nontshinga scored a few goals at the beginning of the season and then failed to rise to the occasion when Jomo Cosmos needed goals the most.

John Arwuah from SuperSport

Why it is a good signing:

An experienced midfielder with physical strength and all round quality is what a young, developing side like Celtic can do with right now.

Why not:

Arwuah is a risk signing because he is injury-prone and it’s unlikely that he will be able to match the quality midfielders that other PSL teams have at the moment.

Free State Stars

The club have not yet made any signings worth analysing.

Golden Arrows

Stanton Lewis from AmaZulu

Why is it a good signing:

Lewis showed at Ajax Cape Town before he went abroad that he is a quality striker with a nose for goals and skill with the ball at his feet.

In bursts he did very well for AmaZulu until a fall out with them, so if he can settle at Arrows, then we could still see the best of him.

Why not:

He has never been the same since his injury that pulled him out of the European scene with Ajax Amsterdam. Golden Arrows may have to be patient before getting the best out of the former Ajax Cape Town man.

Kaizer Chiefs

Siyabonga Nkosi from Golden Arrows

Why it is a good signing:

Nkosi was a relative success in his first season with Kaizer Chiefs, so he knows what it takes to cut it at a massive club and should be able to hit the ground running, especially considering his experience.

Why not:

This will be Nkosi’s second stint with Kaizer Chiefs and since then he has bounced around clubs going overseas for two years before returning and finally settling in at Golden Arrows. And while he may have shone at the smaller KZN club, will this 30-year-old still have enough in him?

Morgan Gould from SuperSport

Why it is a good signing:

Gould is among, if not, the best central defenders in the country. He has shown his quality time and again at his previous club, SuperSport United, where he helped them lift a couple of league titles and the Nedbank Cup.

Why not:

Gould could turn out to be a great signing, but you get the feeling Chiefs got him a year or two too late. A four-year deal for a player who will turn 30 in his first season with the club means he is not really an investment (because it’s unlikely he’ll be sold on for a profit).

Siboniso Gaxa from Lierse

Why is it a good signing:

Gaxa is in the prime of his career, has plenty of club and international experience under his belt, and is versatile enough to play all across the backline.

Why not:

Gaxa brings nothing new to Chiefs. While his work-rate is usually high, his technical abilities let him down at times – his passing and crosses are not of the highest quality and will have to improve if he wants to find a starting berth ahead of Jimmy Tau.

Part 1:

These are the first four sides of the 16-team Absa Premiership, so keep a look out for the rest over the next two days.

Ajax Cape Town:

Koen van der Laak from Groningen

Why it is a good signing:

The player has been rated highly by Ajax Cape Town and the ‘number 10’ role in the Ajax system is a position that an expert is needed in.

Why not:

Because Dutch players have mostly struggled when they have come over to play in Cape Town. Just look at Marciano Vink, Rolf de Boer and Jeremy Overbeek Bloem.

AmaZulu:

Sifiso Vilakazi from Wits

Why it is a good signing:

Despite his age, Vilakazi can still score goals and his ability to hold the ball up will bring the attacking midfielders into play.

Why not:

AmaZulu is a young team that play a quick brand of football and if Vilakazi’s star began to wane at Bidvest Wits, a similar young side to Usuthu, then it might not be much different for him in Durban.

Prince Hlela from Celtic

Why it is a good signing:

Hlela is a quality fullback who is solid on defence and poses danger for the opposition when he attacks and will be good competition for the Marc Van Heerden.

Why not:

He hardly played this past season after falling out of favour at Celtic and this means he is rusty and lacking match fitness. This will work against him.

Bidvest Wits:

Matthew Pattison from Santos

Why it is a good signing:

Pattison is one of the more experienced players in the PSL having played over 60 games in the South African league as well as having plied his trade overseas at clubs like Newcastle United and Norwich City.

Why not:

Wits already have two talented young players who can play in Pattison’s preferred roles: Sibusiso Vilakazi and Lehlogonolo Masalesa. Do they really need him?

Aaron Mokoena from Portsmouth

Why it is a good signing:

While he may be near the twilight years of his career Mokoena brings with him years of experience and knowledge from both his time as a Bafana Bafana international and overseas at clubs like Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth in England.

Why not:

The main complaint Bafana Bafana fans had against ‘Mbazo’ was that he lacked pace. That problem will not have gone away and could be even further emphasised in a league where speed is everything.

Black Leopards

Thomas Sweswe from Chiefs

Why it is a good signing:

Experienced, strong and reliable centre back. Sweswe will also be closer to him, Zimbabwe, and is a good leader from the heart of defence.

Why not:

He has picked up injuries, which has hampered his time on the field and this would work against him.