Orlando Pirates legend Teboho Moloi admits that club talisman Monnapule Saleng may be pipped to the Player of the Season award after the recent conclusion of the DStv Premiership 2022/23 campaign.
Saleng dominated PSL award nominations after being nominated in the Player of the Season, DStv Premiership Players' Player of the Season, Midfielder of the Season and MTN8 last man standing categories.
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"It's good nominations but not the Footballer of the Season one," Moloi tells KickOff.
"The boy has done very well, extremely well. Last Man Standing, I'd say yes, but for the Footballer of the Season it's too early, it's still early, and he still has to work a bit harder for it.
"The thing is I don't want him to be despondent if he doesn't win the Footballer of the Season.
"You know sometimes failing to win it can either break you or make you.
"He is the right person to contest for the Players' Player of the Season and Midfielder of the Season. As for the Footballer of the Season, he is a future contender, in future, he will even win it twice or three times in a row.
"He is a very disciplined boy Saleng, but my only worry is he must get proper counselling should he not get it this time.
"Because if you look at the two first derbies, he didn't give us what he gave us in the MTN8.
"He gave mixed-feeling performances in some games and some games, he came up to the party.
"I'm not saying he shouldn't win it or what, all I want is for him to be in a category where he will be able to say, yes, I'm happy I have won it.
"In the past, a lot of players were nominated for the Footballer of the Season final list, but after not winning, it knocked their confidence.
"The start of the following season came with mixed reactions.
"In the last derby, he showed he now understands what the derby is all about."
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