Orlando Pirates news: Mokwena hits out at Lorch critics

Orlando Pirates interim coach Rhulani Mokwena is still adamant that star winger Thembinkosi Lorch is the best player in the country.

The reigning PSL Player of the Season has struggled to rekindle the form which placed him among the league’s top goal-scorers last season.

Mokwena defends Lorch

During Wednesday night’s 3-2 win over Polokwane City, he received a straight red card, as both teams played the bulk of the game with ten men.

His mentor has come out in his defence, saying he has nothing to prove to anyone.

“Unfortunately, we forget that he’s still reigning Footballer of the Season. He is the Footballer of the Season,” Mokwena told reporters after the game.

“And sometimes, I think we put undue pressure because of social media – some of the things that he reads also; the expectations are based more on that, but I always tell him he’s still the best player in the country.

“Who has the Footballer of the Season award at home? It’s Thembinkosi Lorch. So, he’s got nothing to prove to anybody.”

Speaking about the red-card incident, where Lorch and City’s Puleng Tlolane were sent off simultaneously after an altercation, Mokwena did admit that the player deserved to be sent off.

“With a little bit more emotional intelligence, he could have avoided the situation, but it’s a completely different one to the Chiefs one, so we can’t be too critical of ‘Nyoso’ [Lorch].

“He’s still the best player in the country. If someone wants to argue with me, then we can argue because I talk stats; maybe the others [talk] opinion.

“The reigning footballer of the season award is at Thembinkosi Lorch’s house, and he’s still the best player in the country.”

Rhulani Mokwena

Slim pickings

After being the breakout star in the 2018/19 season, Lorch has had far less of an impact in the current campaign.

In eight league matches, he has not managed to score nor provide an assist, but has fared better in cup games with a goal and two assists in two Telkom Knockout matches.

This is far cry from his returns from last season, where he bagged 15 goals and five assists in 40 matches across competitions.

Lorch’s suspension means that he will miss the matches against Baroka and Black Leopards.