Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi “Bhodlela” Sibisi says the club would regard anything short of three trophies this season as a failure, after beginning their league title defence with victory over Milford.
Pirates made a positive start on Saturday, defeating newcomers Milford 2-0 at Orlando Amstel Arena. Bafana Bafana duo Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moreni scored the goals as the Sea Robbers opened their campaign with three points.
The result comes after a historic previous season in which Pirates ended a 14-year wait for the league title. They also won the MTN8 and Carling Knockout trophies, completing a three-trophy haul and setting a demanding benchmark for the current campaign.
“The tone has been set with the three titles we won last season, so anything shorter than that this season I think would be a failure for us. We have to keep the standard as high as it is,” Sibisi said.
The Pirates captain was involved as several new arrivals were introduced against Milford, including Neo Rapoo and Kabelo Kgositsile. Simphiwe Masilela, one of the club’s recently promoted DStv Diski Challenge graduates, also made his professional debut.
Sibisi believes the new players are settling into the squad effectively, but said they must be given sufficient time to adapt to the demands of first-team football.
He pointed to the rapid progress made by DStv Diski Challenge graduates Relebohile Mofokeng, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Mohau Nkota, while warning that similar immediate impact cannot be expected from every newcomer.
“The process of integrating the new players into the squad is coming along very well. The coach has also said that we should not rush some of the players because it won’t always be the case that we have a Rele, a Mbokazi and a Mohau that just get going as soon as they touch the ball,” he said.
“Some of these players need time. Unfortunately for them it’s a bit of a two-way street because we know that our supporters always want us to deliver.”
Pirates will next turn their attention to the MTN8, with a quarter-final against Durban City at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday. The match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00.
The opening victory over Milford gives the reigning champions early momentum, but Sibisi’s comments underline the scale of the expectation at Pirates after their success across three competitions last season. The club are now aiming to maintain that level while incorporating new signings and giving opportunities to players progressing from the DStv Diski Challenge.
