Mngqithi: Lyle Lakay is still our player

Mngqithi: Lyle Lakay is still our player

Co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi says Lyle Lakay remains a Mamelodi Sundowns player, with his loan move to Cape Town City merely to afford him game time. 

Mngqithi says the 31-year-old needs to play regularly, suggesting the arrival of Terrence Mashego would have limited his minutes while adding that he will still make a massive contribution on loan.

"He's still our player, by the way, just for your information. So, we released him because we wanted him to get more game time. It's good for him to get more game-time," said Mngqithi.

"We are looking at our squad and saying if you've got a player of Lyle's age and his game-time is already affected if you look at how we have started the season.

"But he has served the club very well, we are very proud of what he has done for us and we are in full support of him pursuing his endeavors to go to Cape Town City.

"Because that is also good for the player to get game-time regularly, in the space where Cape Town City is also going to be competing in the CAF Champions League."

The Bafana Bafana international re-joined the Mother City outfit on transfer deadline day and told Thabiso Mosia on SAFM that he was only given 48 hours to sign for the Citizens on a season-long deal. 

In the same interview, Lakay said he felt he could have stayed at Sundowns to fight for his place, especially considering he was voted Defender of the Season in the previous campaign and earned a recall to the national team.

By Mazola Molefe