Orlando Pirates’ “Master Chef” Sipho Mbule has been called up to the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.
Mbule, who had been left out after initially being included in the preliminary squad, replaces club teammate Patrick Maswanganyi, who suffered in injury in Pirates’ 3-0 win over Chippa United over the weekend.
Maswanganyi had been expected to fill in for injured veteran Themba Zwane, and his form in Pirates’ hammering of Chippa had many excited.
With his withdrawal, the spotlight now shifts to Mbule – a player reborn at Pirates after a difficult spell with Mamelodi Sundowns – who will be tasked with keeping Bafana Bafana’s midfield engine running in these crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Mbule, despite well documented off-field issues, has all the attributes of a midfield orchestrator. He is known to be able to control the tempo of games, breaking down defences with his vision and remains calm under pressure. That’s why he is called “Master Chef”.
His ability to carry the ball and create chances makes him one of the most pleasing footballers to watch, and Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos will be hoping he can deliver when called upon.
Broos acknowledged, however, that he has yet to see Mbule consistently reach those levels for the national team.”
“I think we can all agree that he (Sipho Mbule) is a player with many qualities. We can also agree that we didn’t see what I expect from a player of that quality,” the Belgian Broos said.
“He’s an experienced player, and one of the players who can fill that position.
“For more than a year, we’ve been searching for a successor to Themba (Zwane). We had Tito (Maswanganyi), but who is also now injured, so it was very difficult to find someone of those qualities.”
For Mbule, this call-up represents more than just an opportunity to wear the national colours again – it is a chance at redemption. With South Africa’s World Cup hopes on the line and a midfield void to be filled, the “Master Chef” has the perfect stage to prove that his revival at Pirates can translate to the international arena.
If he delivers, Bafana Bafana may just find the missing ingredient they’ve been searching for.
IOL Sport
