Orlando Pirates legend Lucky Lekgwathi says he has given his blessing to Monnapule Saleng to wear the number 14, and he feels the star winger is on the right path to leaving his legacy.
Since Lekgwathi called it quits in 2016, the jersey number went to Thulani Hlatshwayo, who many tipped him to be a big thing with Pirates after he joined them in the 2020/21 season from Bidvest Wits.
He started it well, helping Pirates lift the MTN8 trophy in just a few months with the club.
He in fact was the one who lifted the MTN8 trophy as he was a skipper at that time as Happy Jele was frozen out after beating Bloemfontein Celtic in Durban.
But in his second season last term, he committed many errors, especially against Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby and also scoring an own goal against Swallows in the previous season.
He was never the same and he decided to terminate his contract with Pirates to be reunited with his coach Gavin Hunt at SuperSport United.
With Hlatshwayo gone, Saleng, who was loaned out last season at the Dube Birds, took it. He has surprised everyone with no one expecting him to. He has scored five goals thus far, three in the MTN8 and scored two in the league.
Those three in the MTN8 were key, as Pirates crushed Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg 3-0. Over the weekend as Pirates won their fourth MTN8 and 11th overall Saleng decided the affair, lifting in a free kick to beat Veli Mothwa at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, with the goal being the winner.
Following his brilliant start to life at the Soweto giants, he has earned the Bafana call-up, part of the 23 man squad that will play two friendly matches against Mozambique and Angola on 17 and 20 November at Mbombela Stadium.
“Everyone who comes at Pirates to wear jersey number 14, as long as you talk to me first and understand the importance of this jersey,” said Lekgwathi.
“I remember Hlatshwayo calling me and saying ‘I want you to give me number 14’ and I said ‘you can take it boy. I’m blessing you’. It’s just that he never performed well and he came to Pirates after a drought of I don’t know how many years (six).
“Now it’s Saleng. After the game against Sundowns, we spoke and I told him ‘this jersey number has history. You better make sure that you leave your legacy’.
“He scored two goals against Sundowns and it is a good start and that is history.”
On top of wearing number 14 at Pirates, Lekgwathi spent 14 years with the club, won 14 trophies, earned 14 caps for Bafana and his last game for Pirates was in 2014 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium when he lifted the Nedbank Cup.
