orlando pirates vs cape town city

Cape Town-180428 Thabo Qalinge of Orlando Pirates misses a great opportunity to equalise against Cape Town City,as Sage Stephens makes a great save in a PSL game at Cape Town stadium.photograph:Phando Jikelo/African News Agency/ANA

Pirates cast-off Qalinge not a good fit for Kaizer Chiefs – Khanye

Thabo Qalinge is reportedly taking offers for a new club but it doesn’t seem like he will make the move to Kaizer Chiefs just yet.

orlando pirates vs cape town city

Cape Town-180428 Thabo Qalinge of Orlando Pirates misses a great opportunity to equalise against Cape Town City,as Sage Stephens makes a great save in a PSL game at Cape Town stadium.photograph:Phando Jikelo/African News Agency/ANA

Malanti Chiefs winger Junior Khanye feels that Thabo Qalinge lacks the confidence to make an impact at Kaizer Chiefs.

Qalinge was released by Orlando Pirates this week along with three other first-team players. He made just 14 appearances for Pirates in all competitions last season, contributing a single assist.

Khanye, himself a former Kaizer Chiefs junior and once capped Bafana Bafana winger, feels that Qalinge would be better off joining Cape Town City.

“Thabo Qalinge is a very talented player,” Khanye told Soccer Laduma in a recent interview.

“He was not given a chance (to play regularly) at Pirates. But I don’t think he can do well for Kaizer Chiefs at this stage of his career. He has to work on improving his confidence first.”

“The current situation (is that) Chiefs need players who will step up immediately. The boy needs a team that will give him a chance to play regularly for the whole season. Chiefs can then go and sign him after at least one season of him playing regularly if they are interested in him. Qalinge is an exceptional talent, a rare breed of players that can express themselves freely on the field.   

“But I feel he would struggle at Chiefs at the moment. I wish he can go to a club like Cape Town City or Chippa United to get himself back to his best as Thabo Rakhale did after leaving Pirates.”

Khanye feels that if Qalinge can get back to his best, he can prove himself worthy of a move to Chiefs.

“Qalinge needs match fitness and to boost his confidence and then Chiefs can go for him,” he added,

A source close to Qalinge, told the Citizen that the winger will snub any offers he receives from Amakhosi. Qalinge is believed to have been aware that his contract would not be renewed and has already opened discussions with other clubs.

“This was coming for him and he knew it. I mean, when your contract is about to expire at the club and no one is saying to you, what do you expect? That clearly means that they are not considering for the future of the club and you will be released,” said the unnamed source.

“He saw it coming, but had some hope that the management will come to him at the later stages, but now this has happened. It’s heart-breaking for him because he loves the club very and he grew up supporting it. But he is prepared to move on, this is football and not everything goes your way sometimes. There have been a couple of teams who knew about his contract expiring and they had already had a chat with him.”

Qalinge began his career at Mpumalanga Black Aces, the club was dissolved to form the controversially named Cape Town City FC.