• Chansa names his PSL best midfield partnership
• Jali and Manyisa played together at Pirates
• The two former Bafana stars won treble with the Soweto giants

WHAT HAPPENED?

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Isaac Chansa has showered Andile Jali and Oupa Manyisa with praise, saying they are his best-ever midfield partnership in South Africa.

The duo formed a formidable partnership and understood each other very well, along with Chansa under Dutch coach Ruud Krol over a decade ago at the Sea Robbers.

Probed on Jali and Manyisa's standing in SA's football history amongst midfield partnership greats, Chansa said that the two players come first for him.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

"To be honest, I enjoyed playing alongside Onyekachi (Okonkwo), made me play very simple. Playing next to him was very easy, he was a quality," Chansa told GOAL. 

"But there were two young quality and capable players in our team, that’s Andile (Jali) and Oupa (Manyisa), those two, they were the best.

"That's why even now, Manyisa and Jali remain my all-time favourite pair midfielders in South Africa. They made things happen in Pirates of our time.

"If I were to choose, I would choose them anytime. Their combination was deadly, we won and played very well because of how they played, they remain my best."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The two erstwhile Buccaneers' players' combination helped Krol's side to win a double-treble between 2010 and 2012.

Jali and Manyisa also played together at Mamelodi Sundowns afterwards, though their combination did not succeed compared to at Pirates.

They also shared the dressing room in the national team during their peak in their football careers.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Matatiele-born midfielder is currently unattached since parting ways with Moroka Swallows in February this year.

On the other hand, Manyisa who hails from Mohlakeng is jobless after struggling to get a team following his departure from the NFD side, Platinum City Rovers in January.

It remains to be seen whether the players will get new teams for next as they both haven't retired as yet.