On Friday, 21 July, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena revealed why he has left the door wide open for Promise Mkhuma and Keletso Makgalwa, two players who have found themselves on the periphery at the Brazilians.
Mkhuma broke into the Sundowns first team back in 2020, while Makgalwa graduated in 2017, although both players have never really made an impact for the club. The departure of former coach Pitso Mosimane in 2020, who had promoted both players to the first team, coincided with a change in fortunes for the talented duo.
Makgalwa had three separate loan spells with Maritzburg United, Swallows FC and TS Galaxy, where his loan spell was cut short, and he was returned to Sundowns. Meanwhile, Mkhuma was loaned out to Swallows for the 2022/23 season, but the Birds’ transfer ban from FIFA has left the attacker in limbo, with the club unable to register him.
On the other hand, Rulani Mokwena mentions that the future of football lies in players having greater cognitive ability. In his view (one that I also share), football has reached a ceiling in terms of player physical capacity. The only area of development left is cognitive.
— Kubo Kubo (@Bantu_Kubo) January 4, 2023
However, Mokwena has left the door open for both players, saying, “They’re still part of the club and they’re part of the team. We’ll look at the best way to get them to contribute to the team and the club.”
Young Cassius Mailula has thrived under Mokwena this season, while Mkhuma and Makgalwa look to follow in his footsteps and make an impact at Sundowns.
