Pirates coach says club environment a factor in Saleng's recent hot form

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro believes the environment around the club has contributed to Monnapule Saleng's recent up-turn form.

The 24-year-old winger has been in fine form in the last few games, scoring four goals in six games across all competitions, with the most recent being the brace he scored against Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final last week as Pirates ran out 3-0 winners.  

Saleng was not part of the Buccaneers' matchday squad for the first seven games of the season and the recent form has been a welcome surprise for Riveiro, who praised Saleng's teammates for making it easy for players like him to perform. 

"Saleng, like every other player is benefitting from the environment he has around [him]. It's easy to play when you are surrounded by good players like he is," Riveiro told reporters. 

"When one player is shining on the field it is because he is getting support in many different departments." 

Despite Saleng taking the spotlight, Riveiro is hoping for the other players in his squad to start stepping up and start shining like Saleng.  

"I think it is nice to see players shining and you will always put the players in the spotlight if they score goals or if they do some nice tricks but there are things much more important that happens before and after that in order to create a team with balance with the capacity to protect one result, to consolidate the lead. 

"Hopefully, I would like to see that you put more players in the spotlight in the future because that would mean that some others are scoring goals as well." 

Riveiro was asked whether or not Saleng's red-hot form could result in inconsistency in his attitude. However, the coach does not believe so.

"I don't think that's the case. He is just a boy