Orlando Pirates Football Club’s prolific centre forward Tshegofatso Mabasa is currently out on loan at Stellenbosch FC and apparently, the club is looking to start negotiations with his agency over a new contract and I strongly believe that the former Bloemfontein Celtic left footed centre forward should decline the offer except that he’s guaranteed a certain some minutes especially when Abdeslam Ouaddou remains in charge because it’s clear that he’s not the type of a forward that the coach prefers.

Mabasa may not be aggressive like Makgopa and Mbuthuma in pressing from the top but he’s by far the best finisher in the books of the club currently and under Jose Riveiro, Mabasa played and scored because the coach understood his strengths and played him to those strengths and if Abdeslam Ouaddou cannot do that, the club mustn’t waste the boy’s time by renewing his contract. The other day I watched Mabasa playing Soweto Derby pressing aggressively from the top creating space for Saleng in that 3-2 win where Saleng scored brace and sometimes I think that there’s an exeggeration in saying Mabasa can’t press.

Having Mabasa in the team requires that the team presses high to remain in the opponents half most of the time as that gives him more time to be higher up in ad around the box where he’s deadly. Currently, Orlando Pirates is more transitional and Mabasa doesn’t have explosive speed to keep up with those quick transitions especially when forced to make runs from deeper and based on that, it’s clear Mabasa is not suitable and shouldn’t renew his contract. Unless if the coach is willing to set up the team to MABASA’S strengths with a Clause that guarantees him certain number of minutes.

Mabasa is an experienced striker with a proven goalscoring record and should know that he’s in the right position to negotiate new contract on his terms. He has a record to break at Bucs and that alone it’s appealing but how can he break that record when he’s on the stands? He must be very selfish in negotiating a new contract because he’s no longer a youngster looking to prove a point to anyone except improving everyday like any other sportsman.