OWAKE waba ngunozinti we-Orlando Pirates eminyakeni edlule, uJohn Tlale, ukholwa wukuthi uMelusi Buthelezi unalo ithuba lokwenza ezibukwayo ezintini zeqembu inqobo nje, uma engagwema amaphutha.
UButhelezi (26) ujoyine iPirates ngesizini esanda kusongwa ka-2023/24 yeDStv Premiership, esuka kwiTS Galaxy lapho ebenza ezibukwayo emapalini.
Ufike walithola ijezi ezintini zePirates maphakathi nesizini, ngemva kokuthi uRichard Ofori ehlelwe yifomu, nokulimalala kukaSipho Chaine. U-Ofori omunye wabadlali asebededelwe eZimnyama njengoba kuvalwe isizini.
Amaphutha enziwe uButhelezi kweminye yemidlalo yeDStv Premiership, iPirates iguqiswa yiSupersport United ngo 3-1, yashawa yiStellenbosch FC ngo 3-2 ekupheleni kukaDisemba, kubonakale kuyiwo aholele ekutheni adliwe yibhentshi ngemuva kwalokho.
Nakuba uButhelezi ephinde walithola ijezi emidlalweni yokugcina yePremiership ngenxa yesigwebo samakhadi sikaChaine, ngemuva kwalowo mdlalo wabuyela ebhentshini.
“Ngikholwa wukuthi uButhelezi ungomunye wonozinti abasezingeni eliphezulu kwiPremiership, engicabanga ukuthi iPirates yamsayina ngoba ilibona ikhono lakhe.
“Yebo, uma ungunozinti akhona amabhola akudlayo ngoba ebholeni kufanele kube khona igoli elingenayo, ukuze kube khona iqembu elinqobayo. Noma kunjalo akhona futhi amabhola obonayo ukuthi bekungafanele unozinti amudle, bekufanele enze kangcono kuwona,” kuchaza uTlale.
“Ngasohlangothini lukaButhelezi, ube nawo amaphutha kweminye imidlalo, nokuyiwona amenze wahlaliswa ebhentshini. Nokho ngimbona esenalo ithuba lokuthi abuye avelele emapalini, inqobo nje uma engalwela ukugwema amaphutha angenasidingo uma ephinda ethola ijezi.
“Iminyaka isamvumela futhi kuyacaca ukuthi unokuncintisana okuhle nozakwabo uChaine, owenza kahle njengamanje.
“Ngokwami uButhelezi, noChaine ngonozinti abasezingeni eliphezulu, nengikholwa wukuthi bazobamba iqhaza elikhulu ngesizini ezayo ngoba iPirates ibuyela kwiCaf Champions League.”
UButhelezi usegijime emidlalweni ewu-15, wangenelwa ngamagoli awu-10, wavimba ayisikhombisa.