Orlando Pirates may soon offer their long-serving captain, Innocent Maela, a role off the field as his playing time continues to diminish.
Over the past few seasons, Maela has seen his involvement with the team reduce, much like his predecessor, Happy Jele.
Maela’s situation mirrors that of Jele, who found himself gradually pushed aside in his final years at Pirates. Injuries played a significant part in that decline, and when he returned, new signings like Thulani Hlatshwayo, Nkosinathi Sibisi, and the emergence of the now-departed Sandile Mthethwa further limited his chances. This marked the start of a difficult period for Jele.
When Jele’s contract came to an end, Pirates offered him the chance to remain at the club, but in a non-playing capacity. Unfortunately, Jele preferred to continue playing and was reluctant to accept a behind-the-scenes role. After a prolonged wait, he eventually joined Royal AM, where his career came to an underwhelming end, with limited success.
Now, Maela finds himself in a similar position, as his contract nears its expiration and the club considers offering him a similar opportunity.
According to Soccer-Laduma, Orlando Pirates are working on convincing Maela to stay with the club next season, but not necessarily as a player.
“Right now, the focus isn’t on his playing contract but on what the club could offer him beyond the field. They want to avoid a situation similar to what happened with Happy Jele, where he was asked to stay on but outside the playing squad. The discussions are ongoing, and whether it’s in management, media, or coaching the juniors, Pirates are working with Maela to figure out what his future holds,” a source revealed.
At 33 years old, Maela still has some years left in him as a player, but the question remains whether he is ready to move on to a new chapter.
Should Maela take the opportunity to move into a behind-the-scenes role and learn from Jele’s experience, or does he still have a few more playing years left in him? Fans are invited to share their thoughts on what Maela should do next, considering both his personal aspirations and the lessons from Jele’s career path.