Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Sipho Mbule has thanked the club for giving him an opportunity to revive his career last season as he joins Iraq side Zakho SC.
After leaving the Buccaneers at the end of last season, Mbule officially joined the Iraqi Stars on Saturday, the club confirmed.
Mbule took time to thank the Soweto Giants.
“Thanks for the year that was filled with [more] happy moments than sad moments. Till we meet again. To Orlando Pirates football club fans, thanks for everything, for the life, for the noise and the belief,” Mbule said in a statement.
The midfielder spent one season with the Buccaneers after joining them from Mamelodi Sundowns and was part of the Bafana Bafana squad that participated in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco in December/January.
He helped Pirates win a domestic treble (MTN8, Carling Knockout and Betway Premiership titles), while making 23 appearances in all competitions and scoring once.
But since he returned from Afcon, he struggled to make the starting line-up at the Buccaneers and it was not surprising when he was released at the end of the season.
But it didn’t take long before he found a new club with Zakho now confirming he has joined the side.
“Sipho Mbule stands out for his impressive speed and intelligence, with the ability to dictate the flow of the game at will and dominate the midfield,” the club said in a statement.
“With Sipho’s arrival, our midfield will be stronger than ever.”
