Sekhukhune United head coach Eric Tinkler has explained why they signed Tshepo Mashiloane from Orlando Pirates.
Babina Noko looked well secured in that right-back position at the beginning of the season after securing the signing of Tsepo Matsimbi from Black Leopards adding to the experience of Shaun Magaila. Matsimbi had a good start after producing two assists before he got injured in their 3-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs.
Sekhukhune have much time to find a replacement and opted to get Mashiloane from Pirates on a season-long loan. The former Baroka FC defender will be competing with Magaila in that right-back position while Matsimbi is still nursing his injury.
Tinkler explained that it was a last-minute signing, and they didn’t plan for it.
“So, he is a cover and copy of Matsimbi because Matsimbi was a centre back playing for Black Leopards and I turned him to a right-back, he has the ability to play both,” Tinkler told the media during Carling Knockout Cup media day.
“He has the ability to play at the back four as a right-centre back or in the back three as a right centre-back or he can play as right fullback and if I do play with a back three, I might play him as wingback.”
“In our days the modern game demands that players need to have more than one profile, and I think he fits that profile.
“Truth be told it was a last minute signing because of what happened to Matsimbi so he wasn’t really in our radar at the beginning in fact he played against us when we played Pirates and that was the opportunity I got to see him and he actually played right-back so for me it make sense to bring him in because of the long term injury on Matsimbi so that we insure that we have Shaun [Mogaila] and Matsimbi but now we lose Matsimbi.
“Yes we can go fetch a youngster from maybe the DDC but our goals and objectives for this season is push for the top three so you need a lot of experience and players that already shown their true ability versus taking a risk with one of the youngsters plus that level of competition between Matsimbi and Mogaila is important now with Matsimbi getting injured you don’t want Shaun thinking that I am guaranteed a starting berth so you adding that pressure on him to make him aware that he is competing for that position.”
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