To be blunt, Manny isn't convincing me as a top-level centre back. He can play with the ball, he's big enough and tidy enough, but the defensive side of his game keeps letting him down. At 25 you'd expect more defensive nous; instead he's still making mistakes you'd usually put down to a teenager learning the trade.

Why he's struggling

It's not about desire or athleticism. The problem is anticipation, positioning and those little decisions that prevent danger before it happens. You can see the moments where he looks comfortable on the ball but then gets caught out by movement, or is a fraction slow in stepping or jockeying. That reads as a lack of defensive instincts rather than a fitness or effort issue.

Makhanya's case

Makhanya is younger and, in the brief chance he's had, looks like someone with the basics of defending in his game. He doesn't blow you away technically, but he reads the play, looks comfortable in 1v1s and gives the impression of being a proper centre back. If you're picking a young partner for an experienced defender, that kind of profile is what you'd want. Personally, I think he should be given more consistent opportunities to see how he holds up over a run of games.

The squad conundrum

Here's the awkward bit: we might get a decent fee for Manny, and he certainly has some resale value, but selling him right now would leave us light. We don't have the cover to comfortably drop him and then not replace him. So it's a Catch 22 — he needs a spell out to regain form, but we can't afford to remove him without recruiting at least one more centre back.

Truth is, we do overrate a few players as a fanbase. Not everything is doom and gloom, but the squad balance matters. If the club backfills properly and gives Makhanya a real shot alongside an experienced head, we might see who really deserves the regular spot. Until then, Manny remains a player with potential but plenty to prove.

Written by gdog55: 22 August 2026

Tags: opinion injury