Pirates great Maake backs Mbuthuma to answer critics

Orlando Pirates legend Lawrence “Killer” Maake has urged under-pressure striker Yanela Mbuthuma to respond positively to criticism from the club’s supporters, insisting the forward still has the ability to succeed.

Mbuthuma has earned praise from some Pirates fans for his work rate, movement and understanding of space away from the ball. However, frustration has grown over his finishing, with a lack of composure in front of goal appearing to be the main concern.

Maake, who built his reputation as a prolific scorer, believes the 24-year-old’s shortcomings can be corrected and says he remains confident in the striker.

“I’m still confident in Mbuthuma; he just needs to learn how to use space,” Maake told KickOff.

The former Pirates player said Mbuthuma should not be judged against Evidence Makgopa, whose approach as a direct centre-forward makes him difficult for defenders to contain.

“We don’t have to compare him to Evidence Makgopa, a direct centre forward that runs into defenders, and he knows how to free himself; that’s why defenders find it hard to deal with him.

“But Mbuthuma is more of a typical striker; he spends a lot of time directly in line with the poles, so it’s easy for the centre-backs to close his space.

“But that gives him an advantage because he is always closer to the box, so he is always available for the chances that are created by his teammates. He is just not smart enough to use his space.”

Maake believes Mbuthuma’s positioning ensures he remains a constant presence in dangerous areas, but says the striker must improve his ability to separate himself from opposing defenders.

“He is a menace to defenders, Mbuthuma, because he is always present in the danger zone. But he doesn’t know how to create space between himself and the defenders.

“But I see the coach still has confidence in him, as I do. If I were the Pirates technical team, I would be focusing on teaching him how to free himself from a defender,” Maake added.

The Pirates legend also suggested the criticism directed at Mbuthuma could ultimately help him regain his confidence and rediscover his scoring form.

He acknowledged that criticism from a player’s own supporters can be difficult to handle, but said it should be understood as a demand for improvement rather than simply hostility.

“It’s a challenging time for a player when you are criticized by your own supporters, but at the same time you need to understand that they are criticizing you because there is something you are not doing right.

“His job is to score goals. So Mbuthuma should understand that they are doing this to spur him on.”

Maake’s comments come as Pirates prepare to face Chippa United at Kings Park Stadium on Sunday. The match is scheduled to begin at 15:00.