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Goal explains why the Buccaneers have built a squad that could recreate the Bucs’ glory days
The Orlando Pirates maintained their strong start to the 2020/21 season with a comeback win over SuperSport United on Saturday night.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Soweto giants in all competitions and they are also enjoying a 10-game unbeaten streak that places them joint second in the PSL standings, two points behind leader Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Pirates are on cloud nine right now and they also booked their spot in their first MTN8 final since 2014, which was also the last time they won a major trophy, when they took home the Nedbank Cup in Durban.
In recent years, Pirates president Irvin Khoza has watched Sundowns dominate the transfer market by signing top-tier players and it has paid off, as the Tshwane giants have enjoyed much success.
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It is still the team to beat in South African soccer.
The veteran soccer manager pulled out the checkbook in the current transfer window and made sure the Buccaneers beefed up their squad with top-notch players like Thulani Hlatshwayo and Deon Hotto, who are known to have turned down the Sundowns to join the Pirates.
The strength of the Houghton-based giants has been key to the team’s brilliant form this season under their German coach Josef Zinnbauer, who has assembled a powerful squad full of top players and match winners.
The team’s ability to cope without some of its key players has already been proven with key players like Thembinkosi Lorch and Frank Mhango injured, and those who have come to replace them have flourished.
objective Take a look at the depth of the Pirates current roster for what is expected to be a grueling 2020/21 season in which the Soweto giants will compete in the PSL, MTN8, Nedbank Cup and the Caf Confederation Cup:
Goalkeepers
The forgotten Mpontshane is one of the most underrated shooting blocks in the PSL, having played a key role in helping the now-defunct Platinum Stars clinch the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout Cup and has been part of the Bafana Bafana team.
Sandilands, who won two PSL titles and the Caf Champions League trophy with Mamelodi Sundowns, has been relegated to second place following the arrival of Ofori, but the 2011/12 PSL Goalkeeper of the Season remains one of the best plugs in the country.
Only current PSL Goalkeeper of the Season, Ronwen Williams of SuperSport United, kept more clean sheets than former Bafana Sandilands international last season and will work hard to regain the Pirates’ number one jersey.
Ofori has started racing in the Pirates with Ghana’s current starting goalkeeper having kept three clean sheets in five competitive matches and the team has yet to lose to him between the posts.
Defending
The arrival of Wayde Jooste and Thulani Hlatshwayo has strengthened the Bucs’ defense, which needed to be beefed up after conceding the most goals among the top five teams on PSL’s record last season.
The pirates can now even afford to put their inspiring captain Happy Jele on the bench despite the consummate center-back having been the team’s best defender in the past three seasons.
His place in the starting lineup has been filled by arguably the country’s best center-back Hlatshwayo, who led Bidvest Wits to the PSL title, Telkom Knockout Cup and MTN8 as club captain, and the 2016/17 PSL Defender. The season has brought experience, leadership and stability to the Bucs’ defense.
Ntsikelelo Nyauza has been the best central defender for the Pirates so far this season and has had consistent performances whether associated with Hlatshwayo or Jele, while former Sundowns defender Abel Mabaso is also an option in central defense. for Zinnbauer.
Additionally, Jooste has been outstanding at the right-back position after joining the club from the now-defunct Highlands Park and his exploits have kept South Africa U-23 international Thabiso Monyane on the bench.
While Innocent Maela, who is arguably among the best left-backs in the country, is a key figure in the Bucs’ defense and competes with South Africa’s U-23 international Bongani Sam, while utility player Paseka Mako is also. a good option in this position.
Midfield
The pirates moved quickly to capture Thabang Monare, Deon Hotto and Terrence Dzvukamanja from perennial PSL title contenders Wits after the club sold its top-flight status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).
Monare was one of the most sought-after midfielders during the current transfer window and has been added to Bucs’ star-studded midfield, which is brimming with quality and variety.
Two-time PSL midfielder of the season nominee Monare has reunited with Ben Motshwari and the duo have been influential for Wits as the team clinched the PSL title, Telkom Knockout Cup and MTN8 between 2016 and 2017 .
They have begun to rekindle their special partnership in midfield, which is showing promising signs in the Pirates. They are competing with players like Linda Mntambo, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Fortune Makaringe and Nkanyiso Zungu, who are quality midfielders ready to contribute to the team’s quest for silverware.
Namibia international Hotto and Zimbabwe international Dzvukamanja have already proven their quality at PSL as versatile attacking midfielders and have given Zinnbauer more options in this department, which also features exciting players such as Mako, Kabelo Dlamini and the Zambian Footballer. of the Year 2019 Austin Muwowo.
The shame of the Pirates’ riches in this department gives Zinnbauer the luxurious set of dilemmas with 2018/19 PSL Footballer of the Season Thembinkosi Lorch and Bafana international Vincent Pule among the best wingers in the country, if not the best. .
Attack
The Buccaneers have also strengthened their area of attack with the signing of proven top scorer Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele on loan from the Congolese AS Vita Club.
The team will draw on their international experience and scoring feats as they embark on their Confederation Cup campaign. The 28-year-old forward finished runner-up in the race for the Confederation Cup Golden Boot, as Vita was narrowly beaten to Raja Casablanca of Morocco in the 2018 final.
Zinnbauer hopes the 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) champion with the Democratic Republic of Congo will form a great alliance with last season’s PSL Golden Boot winner Frank Mhango, who is among the top players. from the country.
With Mhango out injured, the Pirates have looked at Zakhele Lepasa and the new South Africa Under-23 international has not disappointed by scoring two goals in six games. The 23-year-old shooter, who inspired the TS Galaxy to win the 2019 Nedbank Cup, has been touted as a possible future Bafana Bafana first-choice forward.
There’s also Tshegofatso Mabasa, with the center forward who gained attention as a substitute for Mhango last season by scoring seven league goals and marking his first appearance this season with the game-winning goal against SuperSport over the weekend.
After taking big positives out of the 2019/20 campaign in which they revived the Pirates, Zinnbauer and his seasoned assistant Fadlu Davids have a formidable team at their disposal and it’s time they put an end to the club’s trophy drought.
