Linda Mntambo hopes Sipho Mbule will turn the corner at Pirates
Mbule, who has a had disciplinary run-ins for off-field issues, joined Pirates as a free agent a few weeks ago after Mamelodi Sundowns decided against renewing his contract.
The 27-year-old born in Bethlehem in the Free State spent last season on loan at Sekhukhune, where the skilled midfield maestro showed flashes of brilliance, but it was his alleged wayward behaviour that saw him make headlines.
No Orlando Pirates fan will scroll past this without dropping a like for the master chef.
Sipho Mbule! 👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/C6vkXhQYov
— STAR. (@makwande_m) July 12, 2025
'I've only congratulated him, wished him well. He's a good footballer. I am a fan of his talent and what he's capable of doing,' said Mntambo, who spent three years at Pirates before joining Sekhukhune in 2022.
'Hopefully he gets to Pirates and takes care of himself. I want to see him winning.
'Before he joined Sekhukhune, he told me he wanted to come over and I told him the team was the best platform for him to shine. Unfortunately, things didn't go well for him here, but I hope he does well at Pirates.
Don't Press Sipho Mbule Sphola Master Chef 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Amp6g78UeU
— Coach Sphe🏴☠️🏴☠️ (@SpheleleZN) July 19, 2025
'He must repay the people who'd pay any amount of money to watch him, like me.'
Mntambo also weighed in on Sekhukhune's ambitions in the 2025-26 campaign, revealing they have set their sights on winning a trophy or two and are also aiming to hit the 50-point mark in the league.
'We can't wait for the start of the season. It's about time we win a trophy or two. When I arrived here in 2022, the mandate was clear: finish better than the previous season, and we achieved that by finishing seventh [in the 2022-23 Premiership] to qualify for the top eight for the first time.
'In my second season, we finished fourth and last season we finished fourth again. This season we aim to get to the 50-point mark and see how far that would take us.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
8 minutes ago
- IOL News
Mohafe still grieving Appollis exit but backs star to shine at Orlando Pirates
Oswin Appollis scored on his Orlando Pirates debut against former club Polokwane City. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Even though Phuti Mohafe is still grieving the loss of Oswin Appollis to Orlando Pirates, the Polokwane City coach believes his former talisman is in a better place. Appollis had been one of the most sought-after players in the Betway Premiership in recent seasons, attracting interest from local and overseas-based clubs alike following his exploits for City. Pirates eventually won the race for his signature, securing the Cape Town-born attacker during the current transfer window. Following a two-week pre-season tour in Marbella with his new teammates and coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, Appollis finally made his debut on Saturday — fittingly, against City. The 23-year-old didn't only show glimpses of his old form but improvement as well, scoring the opener in Pirates' 2-0 win and claiming the Player of the Match award. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Mohafe admitted that Appollis' departure had left a massive void in his squad, but said he wished the player nothing but success. 'It is always difficult to lose a family member,' he said. 'And I lost a family [member], so I am still grieving. 'He left and went to a bigger team. All I can do is wish him well. I am feeling that pinch, and he left a big hole in my team. It'll take some time for us to replace him.' Mohafe's pain was understandable, given that Appollis showed his class with a composed finish in the 12th minute. After Boitumelo Radiopane held up play, he laid the ball off to an unmarked Appollis, who dropped his shoulder, picked his spot and curled a low shot into the far post. Mohafe was proud to see a move he had worked on in training come to life — albeit against his own side — and credited Ouaddou for helping refine the player further. 'It shows that I taught him well,' Mohafe said. 'He took that to Pirates, and the coach who is coaching him now has sharpened him. 'That movement is something we worked on repeatedly. We knew that once he got the ball, we couldn't allow him space inside. 'Unfortunately, the guy who was supposed to close that gap went to slumberland a little bit, and he caught us. 'I think the Appollis we saw today is a new version — in terms of movement and playing ability. He's improving, and I hope he continues to do so.' Still, Mohafe knows he has little time to sulk. With the new season under way, he must quickly find a replacement for his departed star. While he bemoaned the number of current injuries in the squad, including right-back Thabang Matuludi, he expressed confidence in striker Levy Mashiane. 'We have players who are playing in that [Appollis' former] position, so the only thing we need to do is make them understand how we want them to play,' he said. 'Mashiane has played most of his career as a winger. I found it challenging to use him as a striker — but because of the quality he has, I think it's working. 'He's got a very good first touch and vision to pick out the player next to him. So, with him playing as a different kind of No 9, he can give us good movement.'


The South African
38 minutes ago
- The South African
'What I told Sipho Mbule before he joined Pirates'
Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Jabu Mahlangu has tipped Sipho Mbule to succeed at Orlando Pirates. The former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder joined the Buccaneers last month as a free agent. In his first game in black and white colours, the player known as 'Master Chef' impressed and has already become a fan favourite. Mahlangu, formerly Pule, said it was time for Mbule to revive his career at Pirates after off-field issues stalled his career. 'All these [Pirates] players are quality players, and they're going to add value at Orlando Pirates,' he said on SABC Sport . 'But Mbule, because of what he's been going through personally, I think it's time for him to revive himself.' 'I actually spoke to him on the phone. I spoke to Sipho on the phone before his move. I didn't know he was going to Pirates. We spoke privately. I was giving him words of encouragement because people had started bashing him. And I've been in that situation in my playing career. So, I spoke to him, nothing else, just to give him positive energy. And I'm expecting more [from him this season]. Mahlangu played for both Chiefs and Pirates, and just like Mbule, he also had off-field incidents during his playing days. 'I wasn't judging him at all, the way people were bashing him on social media,' he added. 'I've been there.. So I think those words of wisdom, I think.' Mbule has spent four weeks with Orlando Pirates during pre-season and appears to be a puzzle that the team has always searched for. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.


The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
'We don't fear Sundowns': Pirates fans confident after MTN8 draw
Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will renew their rivalry in the MTN8 semi-finals after the two sides were drawn against each other on Sunday. Both teams won their quarter-final clashes in the opening weekend as football returned in the country. It all began with the Soweto Giants launching yet another pursuit for the title as they looked to keep the trophy for a fourth consecutive season. The Buccaneers past Polokwane City in front of a packed Orlando Stadium on Saturday, aided by first-half goals from Oswin Appollis and Patrick Maswanganyi in a fairly comfortable 2-0 win. Their opponents in the last four turned in a dominant display of their own a day later, brushing aside the challenge posed by Richards Bay to secure a 4-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium. Sundowns and Pirates to meet early in the season A dramatic draw that followed the latter fixture set up a dream clash, reminiscent of the 2022 edition of the competition which kicked off with a tensely-contested goalless draw in the first leg at Orlando Stadium. This was before the Buccaneers turned on the heat in the deciding leg at Peter Mokaba Stadium where Kermit Erasmus edged the visitors ahead early in the clash before a Monnapule Saleng brace that sealed a 3-0 win. It's a victory that proved significant in Pirates' current run in the tournament, as they went on to clinch the first of three consecutive titles, beating AmaZulu in the final. Their bitter rivals now stand in the way of an unprecedented streak, which could stretch to four titles. After the draw was conducted, many Bucs fans were happy to draw Masandawana. The two teams played each other twice last season with both sides getting the better of each other. 'We don't fear Sundowns. We have to set a good example by beating them decisively during the first leg. MTN Cup belongs to us, Orlando Pirates, Ezimnyama ngenkani, the People's team. Up the Bucs,' @Remiazania2 tweeted. 'We own that fc in cup competitions, they know it very well,' @salim_sgo tweeted. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.