“I Don’t Know What ‘Soon’ Means”: Mosoetsa Speaks Out On Pule’s Confusing Absence
Siwelele coach Godfrey Mosoetsa remains uncertain about when Vincent Pule will return to action after the former Orlando Pirates winger missed his second consecutive match on Saturday.
Mosoetsa was speaking after Siwelele defeated Polokwane City in the Carling Knockout round of 16, with Pule once again absent from the matchday squad. The winger had also missed Siwelele’s previous Betway Premiership encounter against Rise and Shine.
Pule has made seven appearances for Siwelele this season, scoring just one goal.
Asked about the winger’s absence, Mosoetsa explained that the terminology used when discussing a player’s condition can sometimes be confusing, particularly for those without a medical background.
“Sometimes, the terminology we use can be confusing because we are not medical professionals. They will tell you that we need to manage a player, but you don’t always know whether the player is injured or what the situation is,” he said.
“In my understanding, if a player is unable to play, then he is injured. However, sometimes they say we need to manage him because that player gives 100% effort, even though he has been doing training on the sidelines.
“He should be back soon, but I’m also not entirely sure what ‘soon’ means.”
Meanwhile, Mosoetsa praised his technical team for its work behind the scenes after goalkeeper Jody February delivered an outstanding performance against Polokwane City on Saturday.
February kept a clean sheet and saved two penalties to help Siwelele progress to the Carling Knockout quarter-finals, earning recognition for his contribution to the victory.
However, Mosoetsa insisted that the goalkeeper’s heroics should not overshadow the efforts of the technical staff responsible for preparing the players.
“Credit must also be given to the other members of the technical team. Sometimes, as coaches, we come here and take the credit, but there are a lot of people doing wonderful work behind the scenes,” he added.
“We will talk about Jody keeping a clean sheet, but who is training Jody? We will talk about the players being able to play with 10 men until the 120th minute, but who is training those players and making sure they can sustain that performance?
“There are a lot of people doing the dirty work behind the scenes. The kit manager, for example, has to make sure that the training kits, match kits and everything else are ready. It is a team effort.
“This is the second time I am saying this, but I wish there could be an award for the technical team, not just the players. We know the players are important, but people are putting in a lot of work behind the scenes, and they deserve recognition as well.”
Siwelele will return to action on Friday when they face Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership.
Pule will be hoping to return to the squad as he looks to overcome his recent absence, while February will aim to maintain his impressive form and help Siwelele build on their cup victory.
