“YOU can’t replace him!” That was the claim of former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena in March, when asked whether the club could ever replace Themba Zwane.
It seems the club had to get rid of Mokwena, whom they fired two weeks ago, before signing a player that can potentially fill Zwane’s shoes someday.
Sundowns announced the signing of Kobamelo Kodisang from Portuguese side Moreirense on a five-year deal on Tuesday morning.
The 24-year-old attacker, who spent six years in Portugal, is no stranger to the domestic top flight following spells at the now-defunct Platinum Stars and Bidvest Wits.
Now wiser and hungrier, Kodisang ought to be ready to fulfil the potential many saw in him when he made his professional debut at Stars at just 15 years of age.
After all, he’s already played in one of the best leagues in Europe, while he’s represented all the national teams at age group level, as well as bagging a cap for the senior team, Bafana Bafana.
There’d be no one better to learn from at Sundowns than the captain himself, Zwane, if he is to tick the next box and become a regular at Sundowns and Bafana.
Kodisang has most of Zwane’s attributes. They are both able to exploit pockets of space on pitch, can drop when need be, and pull markers away to give their teammates space.
And given the similarities and stages of their careers, the incoming coach will probably have to interchange them to maintain squad balance and shape.
But Kodisang should hit the ground running on his return to South Africa, given that he’s played with some of the players in the team, including Teboho Mokoena and Sipho Mbule, at the Under-23s.
Bafana coach Hugo Broos had also said that he was keeping tabs on Kodisang during his time abroad, having not called him up for recent matches, including the Africa Cup of Nations.
And with the silver-haired Belgian mostly selecting players from Sundowns, Kodisang could make it even harder for Broos to ignore him.
Meanwhile, Sundowns’ crosstown rivals SuperSport United are forming a formidable squad for next season amid the reports of the arrival of former Orlando Pirates winger Vincent Pule.
According to a report by the SABC, Pule underwent his medicals at SuperSport, snubbing interests from Sekhukhune United and AmaZulu.
Pule will be reuniting with coach Gavin Hunt after the duo worked together at Wits before the club was sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).
Sundowns have also signed Keagan Dolly after Kaizer Chiefs released him.
Hunt, who also signed a new deal, will be pleased with the arrival of players the calibre of Pule and Dolly given that he’s had to mostly rely on youngsters in the past two seasons.
Their financial struggles have contributed to the SuperSport’s inability to compete with some of their counterparts in the transfer market.
However, it seems the sale of youngster Shandre Campbell to Jupiler Pro League giants Club Brugge in Belgium has bankrolled the club, hence the top acquisitions.