Zambian winger Augustine Mulenga has revealed that he decided to leave Orlando Pirates because he was not getting enough game time.
Mulenga was among the eight players who left the Buccaneers after reaching a mutual agreement with the club. Mulenga told SAFM Sport On that he did not want to lose his place in the national team and that fact that he is 30, he needs regular action.
“I would like to tell the Pirates fans that I decided to leave Orlando Pirates. I wasn’t getting game time and now they’ve signed more players. I can’t stay and experience the same thing again,” he said.
“I’m also a National team player and If I don’t get game time, then I will lose my place in the Zambia team. I’m 30 and I need to play regularly. The coach JZ didn’t play me much and I kept asking what I needed to do,” he added.
The former Sensational Zanaco wing wizard believes Germany gaffer Josef “Joe” Zinnbauer was not honest with him and was manipulating him.
“I don’t think Zinnbauer was honest with me. I expected him to be like a father. I kept asking him what’s wrong and he would act like everything is ok but then I’d still not play. I didn’t understand that. I would only play for Lorch or when someone was injured. I think the coach was manipulating me,” he said.
“Everyone was surprised that I wanted to leave, but I had to make a decision. The technical team even offered me to go on loan but I couldn’t do that. I also received the blessings of the chairman,” he added.
Mulenga is keen on staying in the PSL and says he has received several offers but he is yet to decide on where he will be heading to next.
“I was treated well at Pirates but when you are a foreigner, there are a lot of challenges, including language. Some of the guys would speak Tswana and we didn’t understand. But these things happen in football,” he said.
“I would like to stay in SA cos I feel I have unfinished business here. I have received many offers and I’m still considering my options. I would still like to play for a big club but I’d have to think twice if Chiefs came for me, cos Pirates fans are like family and I know what it would do to the supporters,” he added.
Mulenga joined Pirates in January 2018 after impressing for the Sensational Zanaco in 2016 helping them win the league and 2017 when they finished as runners up to Zesco United missing on the title defense by a single point.
You should have kept this to yourself than go to the press and blame the coach
It is well bro you will bounce back, the best awaits for you.
As fans we have confidence in you great player indeed.
its important to clear the wind and move on. points well read
l think pirates loose strong player, goodluck Mulenga