Manqoba Mngqithi is a candid coach. As such, he has revealed how one of his key players could potentially fail to reach his best due to “losing his cool” at times.
Lucas Ribeiro was one of Mamelodi Sundowns’ best players last season as he made a seamless adaptation to the PSL after his move from Belgium. The Brazilian, who boasts great dribbling skills and an eye for goal, was so good that many tipped him to be nominated for the Footballer of the Season award. But it wasn’t to be.
Ribeiro scored 16 goals and registered nine assists in 39 games last season, and has been heavily tipped to build on that momentum this season.
Sundowns’ coach Mngqithi has lauded the impact of the 25-year-old on their set-up.
“I think it’s a blessing (that we have him),” Mngqithi said.
“There are a lot of positives in his game. I think he’s going to help us a lot.
“But also there are elements that must improve. Maybe that is what will help him to get other bigger opportunities. The good thing is he works very hard and he’s a team player.”
Mngqithi is right.
In Ribeiro’s stint at Sundowns, he has struggled with anger issues at times ‒ not the first South American at the club to do so.
Former attacker Gaston Sirino, who now plays for Kaizer Chiefs, also had anger issues during his early stint at the club.
The Uruguayan was involved in a brawl with Clayton Daniels before slapping Dean Furman in a Tshwane derby against SuperSport United in the MTN8.
Sirino was lucky not to have got a red card in that match.
Mngqithi is concerned that opponents might have already noticed Ribeiro’s anger issues, and have started to use that against him.
“Sometimes I think he tends to be consumed by the outside forces in the game and lose focus on the match,” Mngqithi said.
‘’Sometimes when you have got a player like that, it’s easy for opposition to always poke him so that he gets out of the game.”
Polokwane City’s players indeed provoked the Brazilian during their MTN8 quarter-final clash at Lucas Moripe stadium on Sunday, a game that Sundowns won 1-0 after extra time.
Ribeiro started like a house on fire, dribbling his way into the final third and nearly scoring the opener with an overhead kick.
But his fire was doused as the match wore on. He received a yellow card and was often seen remonstrating with referee Eugene Mdluli when decisions didn’t go his way.
At one point, Ribeiro was lucky that he didn’t get a red card as he tripped a Polokwane player in front of Mdluli, who gave him a warning instead.
But while that didn’t please Mngqithi, he still believes that Ribeiro adds a lot to his squad, and deserves the No 10 jersey that he took this season after Sirino’s departure.
“I do think he had a very good start but immediately after those few fouls that were not given, and the yellow card that he got, then he went back into his shell,” said Mngqithi after the game.
“It was then difficult for him to come back. We were hoping that he would come back, but it was not to be.
“In terms of talent, he’s one of the (best) players that we have but I still believe there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.”