Orlando Pirates wished Monnapule Saleng a happy birthday but the message was about as heartfelt as a hug from a colleague.
Pirates message Saleng on his birthday
Perhaps it’s not that deep, but maybe their social media team could’ve done better? A joint birthday message alongside Karim Kimvuidi will hardly make the guy feel special.
Arsenal wishes former player Bacary Sagna
Arsenal Football Club tends to do this stuff well. They’re always on the ball with birthday wishes to current players, former players, staff members and anybody associated with the club. There’s usually a positive anecdote or video that fans can relate to and enjoy. Here, they’ve recalled an iconic, acrobatic clearance that former right-back Bacary Sagna made to help Arsenal win against Aston Villa. Couldn’t Pirates have found one of Monnapule Saleng’s numerous match-winning moments to celebrate?
Remember the birthday cake controversy with Yaya Toure at Man City?
Yaya Toure is a three-time Premier League winner and winner of the Champions League with Barcelona. One of the finest Premier League midfielders in history, Toure scored 20 goals and supplied nine assists in the 2013-2014 EPL campaign. It goes down as one of the most legendary individual seasons ever. In 2014, there were rumours he was upset that City didn’t give him a birthday cake.
Speaking at the time, Toure’s agent Seluk, said: “None of them shook his hand on his birthday. It’s really sick.”
Toure initially distanced himself from Seluk’s comments, but then took to Twitter (now X) to say: “Everything Dimitri said is true. He speaks for me. I will explain after the World Cup.”
“Over the summer, there was a lot of speculation about birthday cakes and rubbish like that. It was disappointing for me.
“I’ve been in Manchester for four years now and I have never demanded a birthday cake.”
Could Titus replace Saleng if he leaves Orlando Pirates?
Stellenbosch’s 24-year-old winger could potentially be a like-for-like replacement for Saleng as he enjoys hugging the right touchline. He’s not an inverted winger like Saleng, but since right-footer Relebohile Mofokeng already dazzles down the left, this isn’t much of an issue. Titus has impressed this campaign for Stellies, bagging six goals and three assists in 20 league appearances. Those are seriously good numbers.
Should Orlando Pirates have made a bigger deal over Saleng’s birthday?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
