Pirates' Qalinge has no regrets

Cape Town - Thabo Qalinge insists he never thought that he made the wrong decision after joining Orlando Pirates from Mpumalanga Black Aces.

A lot was made of the player's move to the Buccaneers, especially as he'd previously admitted that he would have loved to join Kaizer Chiefs.

Amakhosi were interested in him but that moved never materialized. On the day he was announced as joining Pirates, he was emotional in the event Aces were hosting, looking somewhat distraught.

He struggled to break into the Buccaneers XI, let alone matchday 18, but things seem to be better now as he has been given a chance and looks set to start in his first Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
 
"Not really, I never thought that I made the wrong decision by coming here," Qalinge said. "I knew that when I came here I have to fight for my place.

"It never crossed my mind because I knew that there was competition and I like it. It's good when there is competition.

"I will put it this way, I think that my teammates have done a good job during the trying times. The management and the coach, how can I put it, were patient with me.

"They had hope in me that one day I will come right. I must thank them for that."