Lesedi Kapinga has made only seven appearances for Mamelodi Sundowns this season.
Five in the league and two in the Black Label Cup.
For a player of Kapinga’s talent, such a lack of game time should be worrying.
Kapinga belongs on the field of play, that is his natural habitat, not the stands.
He is one of the players who should be considering at least a loan move away from Chloorkop.
But why is he not playing?
Mamelodi Sundowns have a big, talented squad, and the competition for starting positions is high.
Players like Themba Zwane, Gaston Sirino, and Neo Maema are performing well.
Which leaves Kapinga further down the pecking order for a starting place.
With the likes of Sipho Mbule, who can play in various midfield roles getting back into form, Kapinga should expect less game time.
What is his contractual situation?
Kapinga signed a three-year contract with Sundowns in 2020, with an option two extend for two years.
If they decide to trigger the two-year option at the end of his contract, Kapinga might have to endure a long actionless stay with the Brazilian, unless they decide to offload him.
With his talent, if he was playing regular football, Kapinga could be a contender for the national team.
A continued stay at Mamelodi Sundowns, without enough game time, will do nothing for the development of his career.
And he is not getting younger, as he will be turning twenty-eight soon.
The clock is ticking.
A loan move, maybe?
Even the highly gifted Themba Zwane was once loaned out by Sundowns to get game time somewhere else.
He later returned to take his rightful place, and look where he is now!
Lesedi Kapinga has the potential to become Downs’ next conductor of the orchestra, but to reach Mshishi’s level, he needs regular football.
So a loan move is the best option.
Teams in the Dstv Premiership are in desperate need of skillful, intelligent players who possess the natural ability to unlock highly organized defensive structures.
Kapinga can give you that all day long, so he won’t struggle to find a team where he can play regular football while proving his worth to Downs.
But what does his agent say?
Here is what his agent, Mushe Mudau told Farpost in an interview late last year:
“Kapinga is happy with the fact that the club and the coach have so much trust in him,” Mudau told FARPost.
“During the current break, he has been involved a lot, playing friendlies, and he is eager to fight for his place.
“I honestly don’t know anything about him moving. The boy is ready to fight for his position. He takes it as a challenge. He knows he needs to fight.”
Trust?
Playing friendlies?
What does that do for Kapinga’s career?
Anyway, there you have it. We can only wait while watching Kapinga’s situation unfold.
