It remains to be seen whether Cape Town City will sign any more players during the January transfer window, with coach Jan Olde Riekerink seemingly satisfied with his current squad.
Mark Mayambela, the player that former coach Benni McCarthy fought so hard for, has been released. The former Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United and Chippa United winger linked up with McCarthy in October but a month later the partnership came to an abrupt end when McCarthy was fired and replaced by Dutch tactician Olde Riekerink.
He scored on debut in a 2-1 loss away to AmaZulu but has seen little action and being in his thirties may have counted against him.
The future of Siphelele Mtembu is uncertain. The same age as Mayambela, the man nicknamed “Shaka” for his size and strength hasn’t been the threat he was when top-scoring for the team last season (seven goals). He had a sit-down with club chairman John Comitis yesterday after the squad’s training session.
Mtembu had nine starts from 19 games and chipped in with a goal and little else. Olde Riekerink has a lot of time for the player but felt he hadn’t made the most of his chances as one of the strikers.
Wing Shaquille Abrahams, 22, has been loaned out to Cape Umoya United, one of three Cape teams competing in the GladAfrica Championship, who will give the winger game time.
On new signings, especially a striker, Olde Riekerink said: “It’s been a topic of conversation but we only have another 11 league games and bringing in someone new might not have the desired effect. We have a couple of youngsters who I think are talented and can do a job on the frontline. But we wait and see.”
City will be without first-choice central defender Taariq Fielies and wing Craig Martin, both players earning one-game yellow-card suspensions after being booked during the 2-0 victory over Bidvest Wits last weekend.
Edmilson Dove seems the likely candidate to replace Fielies with the returning Ebrahim Seedat taking his place at left-back. South Africa U23 player Keanu Cupido and Greek Ioannis Potouridis are also in contention, the latter named Man of the Match in the win over Wits.
Former City player Tshepo Gumde has been training with the Citizens but no deal has been reached yet with the defender, who was part of the club’s squad that debuted in the PSL in the 2016/17 season. Fagrie Lakay and Shane Roberts could replace Martin who scored against Wits before being red-carded.
Olde Riekerink praised his side’s second-half effort against Wits, saying it was the best performance he had seen so far. His record is two wins, three draws and three losses.