Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng has plunged into a state of depression and wants to leave the Soweto outfit because he believes the club is shortpaying him.
Saleng’s worried parents revealed these intimate details of his troubles with the club during an exclusive interview with Sunday World on Friday.
Saleng last played in an official match for Pirates in December when he made a rare appearance in the Champions League against Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League.
While there has been much speculation around the player’s future, Saleng has kept mum.
On Friday, Sunday World paid his parents Thabo and Makie Tsoeu a visit in Boitumelong, a rural village in Bloemhof in the North West province, where the flying winger was born.
Saleng is allegedly going through tough times following a disagreement with Pirates over what he believes is a raw deal over his salary and alleged bad treatment.
According to his parents, his troubles began around the time he was scheduled to play in the MTN 8 final against Stellenbosch FC in Durban.
His parents said he was unwilling to play in the finals and even missed the bus that took the squad to OR Tambo International Airport.
However, said the worried parents, they showed him the importance of the game and forced him to take an Uber to the airport. His mother, Makie, said she is right behind her son.
“Fortunately for him, he arrived before his team did. He had an opportunity to play in the MTN 8 final, despite not training for the game. He performed well and scored a goal,” she said.
She said Saleng told her that he was not paid according to the initial agreement with the club.
“He just wanted the team to pay him what he deserves.”
The situation lasted until Pirates’ match with Al Ahly in December last year. However, Bafana Bafana recently selected him for a CHAN game against Egypt today.
His father, Thabo, said his son is considering leaving the team. “I’m in pain. He is the one who cares for us at home, and seeing his profession in such a state crushes my heart. I wish he could tell me what is really bothering him before it’s too late.”
His father said he has had enough, and his wish is for another club to sign him. “The problem is the contract. We would want him to stick with Pirates because it is one of the biggest clubs in the country.”
Saleng’s childhood friend Boikanyo Maine said Pirates should meet him halfway and offer him a better salary.
“If he was not an important asset, Bafana could not have called him. We are requesting that Pirates consider what he wants. It’s unfair, imagine getting R70 000 but your contribution in most of the matches speaks volumes, while somebody [else] is getting R500 000.”
According to his fans and people who grew up with him, Saleng did tremendously well within his community.
“He is spending his money with the community; when he is down, we are all down. Saleng is generous. He would give us money every time he was home,” said a group of young men.
His former school principal Pogiso Rambau from Gaopalelwe Secondary School said they miss him big time.
“As the school we miss him on the screen. We saw him live on our dusty small grounds. We wish there could be a positive result out of his situation.”
His childhood football coach Tejane Mosiamiemang, from Young Stars said his goal was to see Saleng playing overseas.
“I started training him when he was eight years old. My heart was broken when I heard that he is no longer playing.”
Saleng’s representative, P Management Sport, said: “This matter involves significant issues at the core of the employer-employee relationship that require resolution.”
Pirates’ media officer Thandi Merafe was not available on her phone yesterday and did not respond to text messages. Saleng’s agent Karabo Mathang Tshabuse referred Sunday World to the statement they released.
At times we need to be realistic as human beings an existing contract cannot be changed before it is honoured first hourner the existing contract than you dispute the new contract if is not satisfying but to dispute what signed for in the middle of the term forget
I think I’m inclined to agree with you yet it doesn’t or won’t make it easy on anyone to deal with this kind of situation, I think Pirates should meet the guy halfway he deserves that much, R70000 with the kind of display he’s dishing week in and week out then the team refuse to renegotiate with him that’s disrespectful, I’m a diehard Orlando Pirates fan we need Saleng back just pay the guy what he’s worth and we all know he’s worth more than any player in Pirates squad or just release the guy the disrespect is too much at this point
I’m a Khosi fan but what Orlando Pirates is doing to him is totally unacceptable especially for a player like him aowa!! release the guy if the management fail to meet him halfway there are millions if not trillions of soccer fans who are looking up to him n yet their hero is going through so much come on Pirate give the young man a better offer he is one of thee best the country has ever produced.
Khoza must step in and sort this one out for the sake of the team’s and his reputation.
Someone is misleading him especially his agents and wrong feiends
I honestly believe that saleng will always be a bucs,so pirates should rather give saleng what his worth, his proven himself,and the world knows,bucs need him, and he needs bucs, it’s bucs responsibility to handle this situation as father and son.
I think that it’s better that Pirates management and the chairman Khosa solve this problem urgently. Treating a good player as if he is a stupid,he comes from rural areas ,he knows nothing about money if not fair.Pirates will end up like Swalloʻws if it treats treats treats quality players like that.We Pirates fans are bored by how some players are treated.Ĥotto cannot earn R500 000.oo while Saleng earn just a tikky.Be responsibility and fair Irivin ,,you are killing out club
Dr lrvin khoza give salena a last chance pls!!
Pirates continue loosing games because salene is not playing we as supporters complaining but it seems like managers of the team are not paining.can you bring salene back please he deserve more money. Looking at the players like shandu he don’t deserve to wear pirates jeasy.
His agent must do a plan cos we know that they played them not to say anything when things are not going the way they have agreed
Media is a very important vehicle to enlighten about social interest matters. When a matter needs social reactions, it must have been through relevant platforms/parties concerned, Les the media inversely help destroy individuals who are subjects of the information exchange.
My wish is for recognition regarding the future of the young man by all involved. There are steps for every individual to follow , to reach the top of optimal recognition in all walks of life. Reasonable remuneration for the talent is significant since playing soccer is a short-lived career. Factors to be considered are, trends of clubs’ remuneration to players, locally and abroad, experience of players, contribution of a player, the standard applied by the club involved, perhaps more and many.
People are advised not to make uninformed comments on such sensitive matters, since they may be rather mischievous, perhaps even Illusive.
My hunch is that the young man didn’t read his contract carefully, now someone us misleading him. People should know that every club competing in the PSL is a company with policies and and those players are not just players appearing in the media for fame,they’re the employees of a company called with the name of the team,it’s not a team playing in the dusty lokshin grounds were there are no rules. That’s I once overheard Hlompho one day telling my son that he shoul love soccer but must go to school, I think Saleng missed something there,that’s why some young boys in this article said he’s giving them money,to do what? He signed a contract, period and shouldn’t be our problem.
If Saleng says he’s underpaid what are the terms of his contract and what are his representative/s saying and when did he realise that he’s being underpaid because if a player signed a three years contract there must be an agreement that for the first year you will get this much, second year it’s your first year’s salary plus a certain percentage and the third year he gets a second year’s salary plus a certain percentage the team cannot adjust the players salaries during the course of the year
I am very disappointed cz saleng he’s da best,let’s be honest I am orlando pirates fan pirates playing without saleng it’s hurting guys we miss jersey 14,I wish Irvin khoza could pay what dey agreed to with saleng plz