Mabena took a lower salary to get Pirates contract

Ndumiso Mabena took a small salary in order to get a contract with Orlando Pirates, a source at the club has revealed.

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According to a source, Mabena would have done anything in order to sign with Pirates – having spent some time training with the club, he could have hung his boots had the Buccaneers management not offered him a contract.

Mabena was said to have had the Pirates management divided on signing him, with some of the board members believing signing a 35-year old is a waste of money.

In the end, after discussions with the players and his representative, a small salary was agreed upon and the striker was just happy to sign on the dotted line.

“He is just happy to be part of Pirates, that’s a fact. He loves the club so much and he believes that he can offer them a lot. And that’s besides not playing, he loves the youngsters and sees what coach Jose Riveiro is doing,” said the source.

“You saw him when we won the MTN8 Cup, he was happy even though he was not playing.

“That just shows how committed he is to the club. He is always leading the songs in the dressing room and that makes him stand out. I think that is one of the reasons coach Jose Riveiro loves him. So, for him it is not about money, but playing for a club that he loves. H wants to contribute to the success of the team. There is nothing much more, people should just respect the management’s decision to sign him.”