Former Maritzburg United defender Thamsanqa Mkhize has expressed his disappointment at not having joined Orlando Pirates. 

Now a free agent, Mkhize had looked poised to link up with the Buccaneers but saw his move fall through following the appointment of new boss Muhsin Ertugral to the club.

‘To be honest and frank, it wasn’t Muhsin but Orlando Pirates’ manager that told me Muhsin doesn’t need me and I’m not part of the players that he will use this season,’ Mkhize told KickOff. 

‘But obviously it hurt me as a player when you have told yourself that you are getting the opportunity to play for a bigger club and then that move doesn’t materialise.’

Mkhize admitted it was tough for his family to learn of his failure to complete the move as they had believed he must have disappointed in training.

‘I never trained with Pirates. But obviously as a player you will be disappointed that things didn’t go accordingly. I stayed in the hotel and at the end they let me go, just like that,’ he explained.

The player added he was now on the lookout for a new club, while he has pledged to learn from the experience and hopes his fellow professionals can do the same.

Mkhize was officially released by the Team of Choice after failing to agree new terms with the club.