Toronto Coach - Why Mailula Hasn't Played More

Toronto FC coach John Herdman has explained why former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Cassius Mailula hasn’t received any minutes yet in the new Major League Soccer Season.

Mailula, 22, left Sundowns for Toronto in July last season after a fantastic breakout campaign for Masandawana.

However, things haven’t gone as many would’ve hoped, with Mailula only making three appearances of the bench to far, accummulating to 68 minutes.

In the new campaign, Mailula has been in the squad but remained on the bench in all four matches, with his coach explaining the level of internationals like Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernadeschi and Jonathan Osorio is too high.

“Yeah, I think it is a number of things,” Herdman said, as per GOAL.

“One, you have Lorenzo, Bernardeschi and Osorio in those what I call magician-type positions, that they are critical to the way we play.

“Their level is just too high, if Lorenzo comes off, Osorio will typically move into that position, if Bernardeschi goes out wide, Osorio will move in.

“So, for him [Mailula], he will have to wait for his moment when those players are unavailable or in a national week.”

Mailula scored 15 goals in 31 appearances for Sundowns before making the switch to the MLS.