Was Mphela held back deliberately?

KATLEGO Mphela's long injury lay-off appears to have been greatly exaggerated, at least by sacked Mamelodi Sundowns coach Johan Neeskens.

It did not take long for the new man at the helm at Chloorkop, Pitso Mosimane, to rope Mphela back into the team for his first match in charge.

The striker came off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Free State Stars last week.

Mphela, who had been on the sidelines for just over six months because of a knee injury, was then picked ahead of Eleazar Rogers, scorer of Sundowns's goal against Stars, in the starting line-up against Black Leopards on Sunday.

"Every coach makes his own decisions and the decision taken by the previous coach (Neeskens) was that I had to wait before I could play and work harder before I could come back. But here I am, back with a goal," said Mphela after his solitary strike against Leopards handed Sundowns their third win of the season.

"When you are a footballer you always want to play and (when) you see your team doing badly, struggling, you want to help. But there's nothing you can do but to follow the doctor's orders," Mphela said.

"Killer" said he was delighted when he heard Mosimane would replace Neeskens over a week ago.

"I have to be honest, it was a great feeling for me. I have worked with the man before, he understands me and I understand him. So I knew under him I was going to get some game time. I am glad he is here."

Mphela did show a lack of match fitness against Leopards at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. But with Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund watching the striker score his first goal of the season, his chances of making the Africa Cup of Nations squad can only get better.