Saleng At Sundowns Upgrade Or Risk

Описание: Saleng at Sundowns — Upgrade or Risk?

Monnapule Saleng’s move from Orlando Pirates to Mamelodi Sundowns feels bigger than a normal transfer. It feels like a crossroads.

At Pirates, Saleng wasn’t just another winger — he was a mood. When he played well, the whole stadium lifted. He beat defenders for fun, scored important goals, and gave supporters something to believe in. For a period, he was one of the first names fans wanted on the team sheet. That doesn’t happen easily at a club like Pirates. But football memories are short, and form is unforgiving.
As time went on, Saleng’s influence faded. Minutes became inconsistent. Confidence looked shaken. One week he was trusted, the next he was watching from the bench. Pirates, for all their history and passion, can be an emotional place to play — and not every player survives that environment unchanged.
Sundowns, by contrast, are coldly efficient. This is a club that doesn’t operate on feelings or nostalgia. Systems matter. Discipline matters. Performances matter. If you fit, you play. If you don’t, you move aside. For Saleng, that clarity could be a blessing. Fewer distractions. Fewer questions. Just football.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Sundowns won’t need Saleng in the way Pirates once did.
He won’t be the main man. He won’t get special treatment. He’ll be one option among many — and a single bad run could cost him his place. At Pirates, his talent made him indispensable at times. At Sundowns, his talent must make him *better than the next man
So will he be more successful? If success is measured in medals, league titles, and continental football, the odds are clearly in his favour. Sundowns collect trophies as a habit. But if success is about identity, influence, and being the player supporters build songs around, that’s harder to replicate in a squad built for machine-like dominance.
This move will tell us a lot about Saleng — not just as a footballer, but as a professional.
Can he trade emotion for efficiency?
Can he turn talent into consistency?
Can he become a Sundowns player — not just wear the shirt?
Time will answer that.
But the debate starts now.
Was this the right move for Saleng?
Will Pirates always be where he made the biggest impact?
Comment below
SALENG TO HELP DOWS GET SECOND STAR AFTER BUCS DEPARTURE?

There are two south African attackers that one can always rely on them to come clutch in big games and coincidentally, both demonstrated that in the colours of the Mighty Buccaneers. Thembinkosi Lorch and Monnapule Saleng are former Orlando Pirates players blessed with big match temperament to turn the game on its head and despite Lorch move to Sundowns not proving successful at the Brazilians, Saleng arrives at the time when Miguel Cardoso would want to go one step further in the Caf champions league after losing in the final last season and knowing his dynamism, creativity, speed and hardcore moments of individual brilliance, could just be exactly what Sundowns need to add the second star on their jersey.
Much will depend on how Miguel Cardoso will use Saleng and when used to his strengths, could give them what they expected from Tashreeq Metthews when he was brought in. From my side, I'm extremely happy for the boy to get back to the level that his talents deserves and as I said on few occasions previously, I didn't really care whether Saleng gets an opportunity to play his football in Kaizer Chiefs' gold and black jersey or the Yellow and Green of Mamelodi Sundowns. I would also like to thank everyone who made this deal happen for the sake of the boy's career. To Mme Karabo Mathang-Tshibuse thank you for pulling off this one. In recent times I came very strong at you and should use the same energy to say thank you for the sake of Monnapule Saleng's career.