I just want to see myself on the field of play again - Injury-free Lepasa says after leaving Orlando Pirates

Zakhele Lepasa’s nine-and-a-half year chapter with Orlando Pirates was closed on Friday following the striker's season-long spell on the sidelines.

Lepasa was nurtured in the club’s development a few years ago. As such, the club banked on him to be a capital investment someday.

And so as to protect him, instead of throwing him in the deep end, they loaned him out, notably to TS Galaxy during the 2018/2019 season, to get some game-time.

Lepasa shone at Galaxy, then competing in the national first division at the time, helping the team win the Nedbank Cup.

That triumph in the final was sweeter for Lepasa as he scored the winning solo goal against the arch-rivals of his parent club, Kaizer Chiefs.

Lepasa returned to Pirates after that season, but he failed to live up to expectations at the club, due to form and injuries.

The 28-year-old, who also spent six months at SuperSport United at some point, failed to make a single appearance for Pirates last season due to an injury.

Consequently, the club decided to release him on Friday, ending a relationship that has spanned for close to a decade.

Speaking at the premiere of Pirates’ new documentary series, Giants, which Lepasa prominently features in, before he was officially released, he opened up on prospects.

“One thing that would mean a lot to me is seeing myself on the field of play, wearing a football jersey and getting the first minutes of the season,” Lepasa explained.

“I obviously didn’t play for the whole of last season. Previously, I've had an injury like that (like the one that kept out last season), but that one had occurred in December, and I came back the following December.

“So, I then missed the last part and first part of the season. I never felt like I was out for the whole season.

“So, this is the first part that this has happened and it obviously brings a lot of doubt in my life and career - whether I can still try and be back and achieve what I set for myself.”

Lepasa added that only playing will assert whether he still has what it takes to get back to his best and even fight for a spot in the national team.

“It (the injury) has done nothing but flawed my hunger because of the pain that I had to go through and sacrifices that I had to go through in one year,” Lepasa said.

“So to find myself (not) playing football was not easy. It was close to impossible (to endure) at some point.

“So, I won’t say that I have overcome it, so having to play and be more regular is actually going to stamp that (whether I am fully back).”

Lepasa is still highly rated in football circles as Bafana Bafana A side coach Molefi Ntseki has called him up for the Chan tournament which will be hosted in Kenya and Tanzania next month.

“I am yet to think about it,” Lepasa said of his call-up. “What’s crazy about Chan is that when a lot of us are regulars in our team, we tend to take Chan for granted.

“So when an opportunity like this arises, and you haven’t played for a while, then that’s only when you understand how important it is.

“Now it is as important as playing for Bafana and playing in the qualifiers, or Afcon. I am yet to think about it. But I am definitely happy about it.

“It’s not just about being happy, but if I can see myself playing and training well, feeling like myself again, I think that’s one thing I am looking forward to.”