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Gabadinho at third SA club for trials

Not bad but his position: Gabadinho
Not bad but his position: Gabadinho

Gabadinho Mhango is now undergoing trials at third South African team, Free State Stars as experts fault lack of homework before dispatching the Big Bullets star.

South Africa football magazine Soccer Laduma reported on Monday that Mhango was having a test with Free State after being released last week by Bloemfontein Celtic then AmaZulu three weeks ago.

Yet with the international transfer window closing on July 31 2013, Free State general manager Rantsi Mokoena in a telephone interview Monday offered no hope that Mhango might make the grade.

“He was here for a few days, but he has gone back. He is not a bad player, but we will not sign him. He is not what we want,” noted Mokoena, echoing Celtic technical director Mich D’Avry and team manager John Maduka remarks of last week that Mhango’s stature is small for a principal striker.

Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire, who last week referred The Nation to facilitator of the trials Patrick Mabedi, declined to comment, saying he was unhappy with this reporter’s last week’s story that Celtic might not sign Mhango.

The Nation

has since established that Mhango might not be the problem, but the issue is about compatibility with the potential South Africa suitors.

Bullets veteran goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi, who was unsuccessful in his initial trials at Black Leopards in 2005 before being signed by Dynamos, offered insight into what might have gone wrong with Mhango.

“Gaba went there with his name and not his talent. It could have been better if he had featured in the Cosafa Cup, built his profile then go for trials. It is easier when a coach has watched you and invited you for trials after analysing his team’s weak link,” said Sanudi who spent over five years in South Africa.

In a separate interview, experienced players scout and football consultant Felix Ngamanya-Sapao added that the demand in South Africa football is for big strikers, left backs and defenders.

“Clubs in South Africa get what they cannot get locally. There are a lot of players of Gabadinho’s type in South Africa; those who can play as attacking midfielders or strikers. He is such a quality player, but the problem is his position. That was the same challenge Joseph Kamwendo faced,” Sapao observed, adding that Free State’s quota for foreigners might be full.

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