Johannesburg - Ian Gorowa has admitted Katlego Mphela will have to fight for a place in the Mamelodi Sundowns first-team after returning from his self-imposed exile.
On Wednesday morning, the Bafana Bafana striker took part in his first training session at Chloorkop for more than three weeks after going AWOL in an attempt to force through a move overseas.
Caretaker coach Gorowa revealed that he was informed that Mphela had been persuaded to return following a meeting with club President Patrice Motsepe on Tuesday night but gave no guarantees last season's PSL top scorer would walk back into his team.
"Number one he has to prove his worth to play for Sundowns," he told Football365.co.za.
"Katlego is going to have to fight for his position because it's not like I'm just going to throw him in there straight-away. Nyasha (Mushekwi) is playing well and we also have Mabhuti (Khenyeza) so as a coach I'm happy to have so many players to choose from."
Mphela's last appearance for Sundowns came in the 1-0 defeat to SuperSport United back on January 22.
Gorowa replaced Spaniard Antonio Lopez Habas in the hotseat earlier this month and admitted he is delighted to be able to call on a player who scored 10 international goals for Bafana Bafana in 2010.
He said: "Katlego adds value to the team and I'm happy he is back. I'm sure he now knows he has to get on with playing football and leave everything to other people to sort it out. It's important not only for Sundowns but for Bafana Bafana because he is one of the top strikers in the country. We will help him get his form back."
On Wednesday morning, the Bafana Bafana striker took part in his first training session at Chloorkop for more than three weeks after going AWOL in an attempt to force through a move overseas.
Caretaker coach Gorowa revealed that he was informed that Mphela had been persuaded to return following a meeting with club President Patrice Motsepe on Tuesday night but gave no guarantees last season's PSL top scorer would walk back into his team.
"Number one he has to prove his worth to play for Sundowns," he told Football365.co.za.
"Katlego is going to have to fight for his position because it's not like I'm just going to throw him in there straight-away. Nyasha (Mushekwi) is playing well and we also have Mabhuti (Khenyeza) so as a coach I'm happy to have so many players to choose from."
Mphela's last appearance for Sundowns came in the 1-0 defeat to SuperSport United back on January 22.
Gorowa replaced Spaniard Antonio Lopez Habas in the hotseat earlier this month and admitted he is delighted to be able to call on a player who scored 10 international goals for Bafana Bafana in 2010.
He said: "Katlego adds value to the team and I'm happy he is back. I'm sure he now knows he has to get on with playing football and leave everything to other people to sort it out. It's important not only for Sundowns but for Bafana Bafana because he is one of the top strikers in the country. We will help him get his form back."