Dan 'Dance' Malesela has identified some factors that he believes have contributed to Tshepo Mashiloane's less-than-ideal start at Orlando Pirates.
Despite his undeniable talent, the 23-year-old from the village of Ga-Mafefe in Limpopo has played in both of Pirates' league matches this season but has struggled to adapt to his new club.
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Baroka FC coach Malesela emphasizes that the main challenge his former player needs to work on is defending against crosses.
"When you embark on a new journey, people will always question everything you do," Malesela tells KickOff.
"Players improve with game time, and sometimes we are too quick to criticize them without giving them a chance.
"I’ve said it before: Tshepo’s only challenge at Pirates will be dealing with crosses. It’s an issue he faced here with us, too. He needs to improve his reading and anticipation of crosses. Other than that, he is a fine player," he added.
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"People should not rush to judge; they need to give others a chance. No one starts a new job knowing everything about the company. We all need time to adapt.
"I also encourage the senior players at Pirates to help guide him on how things are done during games at the club.
"The good news is that struggling to deal with crosses is a challenge that can be trained and coached."
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