Orlando Pirates players likely to be offloaded at the end of the season

There have been questions about the strength of their squad despite reaching Caf Confederation Cup final.

If they do not win the continental trophy, they risk not playing in Africa next season as their chances of finishing in the top three in the Premier Soccer League are quite slim.

Already, fans have been baying for the heads of co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids.

Pirates' squad remained untouched this season as they did not make any signings in January and they also did not release any players.

This was after they signed seven players before the start of the term and it is not to be seen who will be shown the exit door.

Frank Mhango has so far confirmed he will not be with Pirates next season and GOAL takes a look at five other players likely to leave the Soweto giants at the end of this term.

The veteran goalkeeper's five seasons as a Pirates player seem to be coming to an end.

He did not make a single appearance in all competitions even when Richard Ofori was nursing a long-term injury.

Siyabonga Mpotshane was being preferred ahead of Sandilands who has been linked with being given a job as a goalkeeper coach by Pirates.

The Buccaneers have already been grooming goalkeepers like Elson Sithole and Kopano Thuntsane who have been training with the first team.

The midfielder has endured a difficult season at the Soweto giants, making just two appearances across all competitions.

Besides being suspended by the club in March due to an off-field matter, Zungu was already struggling for game time.

Clearly, he was never in the plans of the coaches and that could push him out of the club.

Proposed January loan moves to his boyhood club AmaZulu or Swallows FC and former club Stellenbosch never materialised.

The 27-year-old was handed chances in the first two league games of the season as well as the MTN8 quarter-final exit, but since then, he never played.

This is a player who also struggled to impress previous Pirates coaches like Milutin Sredojevic and Josef Zinnbauer.

Even two loan stints at Maritzburg United where he was getting some game time appeared to have not improved him as a player.

This is a player who is regarded as having failed to realise his full potential since arriving at Pirates from Maritzburg United three seasons ago.

Even Maritzburg chairman Farouk Kadodia acknowledged that Ndlovu's game went down at the Soweto giants.

The central midfielder has managed seven PSL appearances this season, five in the Confederation Cup and one in the MTN8.

Usually a left-back, Sam has found it difficult to play as Paseka Mako cemented himself in that role.

Even following the injury to Mako, Pirates coaches prefer the more experienced Innocent Maela as Sama has again struggled to thrive after pushed upfront into the midfield.

His future at Pirates does not look guaranteed after featuring in four league games and has three starts in the Confederation Cup.