By Lukanyo Tshitshi
The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, Rulani Mokwena, pictured with Bongani Zungu, has finally spoken out about Zungu's recent exit from Sundowns. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/ Gallo images
Cape Town: The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, Rulani Mokwena, has explicitly voiced that he would have loved to keep the former Rangers midfielder at the club, but as a coach, he does not take part in contract discussions between the player and the club.
Bongani Zungu left Sundowns two years later after rejoining the club from Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers in 2022, following a successful six-year stint in Europe with numerous notable clubs, including Vitória Guimarães SC of Portugal and Amiens SC in France's Ligue 2.
Zungu announced his departure from Sundowns on Instagram seven days ago; till now, the club has yet to confirm it.
Following Zungu's unsettling exit from Downs, which has yet to be announced by the club, the 37-year-old Sundowns manager told Power FM's Mmasekepe Matsebane that he would have loved to keep Zungu, just as he would have loved to keep other top players who have recently left the club.
"Always, when contract comes to an end, it’s quite complicated because it’s the agent, it’s the player, and it’s the club, and I don't get involve in that space. That space is more for our sporting director and the football club,” he said.
When probed whether he would’ve loved to keep him at Sundowns, he said,
"Of course, yes, like I would've loved to keep Cassius [Mailula], like I would have loved to keep Hasshim Domingo.
“My love for any player at Mamelodi Sundowns doesn’t override my love for the club. My love for the club and doing what’s right for the football club….. Is far more important than anything,” he added.
In his two stints with Sundowns, Zungu appeared 123 times in the yellow and blue colours, scoring three goals and recorded ten assists.
Abubeker Nassir’s update.
Furthermore, Mokwena stipulated an update on the Ethiopian international Forward, Abubeker Nassir, who has been dealing with injuries after suffering a serious injury from a tackle by the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Siyabonga Mpontshane, in a Dstv Premiership encounter at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in December 2022.
Mokwena had little to say regarding Nassir's injury recovery. Surprisingly, he hinted at the player's departure from the club, saying Nassir is not a registered Sundowns player.
“He is not a Sundowns player, so I don’t want to talk about Nassir because he is not a Sundowns player.
“So I don’t talk about people who are not Sundowns players,” said Mokwena.
Nassir's period with the Tshwane side has been surrounded and defined by recurring injuries and a language barrier that kept him on the sidelines for an extended period.
The 24-year-old attacker joined Sundowns ahead of the 2022–23 season from Ethiopian Coffee SC after an impressive campaign with the Ethiopian Bunnas.
Nassir made 12 appearances for Downs and scored five goals.
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