MBABANE – In a classic case of one man’s meat being another man’s poison, newly unveiled Sihlangu star Thulani Jingana has risen from a Manzini Wanderers trialist reject to a player valued at nearly E2 million.
The reliable Orbit College left-back, who hails from Mbutfu at Lubulini, surprised the local football fraternity when his name was drafted into the final squad that lost 2-0 away in Morocco to unranked Eritrea on Wednesday, as he is not known in local football circles. He is set to bag his second Sihlangu cap this Tuesday in the do-or-die second-leg match penned for the Somhlolo National Stadium.
Jingana is now among the most highly-rated local stars, with a market valuation of approximately E1.93 million (£100 000). This remarkable rise comes after the defender failed to secure a contract with the struggling hub giants, who passed on the opportunity to sign him before his move to South Africa.
According to Zwakele Simelane of the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC), he took the player to the maroon and white hub giants before the start of the 2021/22 season, but alleged football politics led to his rejection despite an impressive showing.
“This was during the time of Coach Terisayi. If my memory serves me well, the boy told me that the management wanted him to discard me so that they would not have to pay a cent,” Simelane said.
The towering Simelane disclosed that he had originally planned to take the player to Nsingizini Hotspurs, but the challenge at the time was that the team was still campaigning in the National First Division.
“He then informed me that he had found a club in Durban, South Africa, and I encouraged him to continue there while waiting for Nsingizini to gain promotion,” he added.
He also revealed that the Sihlangu and Orbit College left-back was instrumental when his team gained promotion to the Betway Premiership via the play-offs. Simelane further claimed credit for the Sihlangu call-up after informing Royal Leopard goalkeeper coach, Mphikeleli ‘Rabo’ Dlamini, about the player.
“Rabo then engaged the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) about the player, and the rest is history,” he said.
Wanderers defender Mthunzi ‘Chippa’ Motsa, who was the club’s skipper at that time, confirmed that the player once tried his luck with the Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe-coached side.
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Sihlangu and Orbit College left-back Thulani Jingana in action.