‘Jazzy Queen’ set to rekindle Oupa’s kingmaker role

Oupa Manyisa of Orlando Pirates Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix

Oupa Manyisa of Orlando Pirates Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix

Published Feb 22, 2017

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Orlando Pirates’ heartbeat, Oupa Manyisa, could be resuscitated by the presence of a familiar face. A hectic schedule in the 2013/14 season - that saw Manyisa play 51 out of 53 games - and an injury that kept him out of action for almost a year two years ago, have seen Manyisa return as a shadow of his former self.

“There is no player in the country who has played 52-53 games in one season,” Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza said. “He would play, go to the national team and then return to the club. The coaches felt that without him, the team isn’t good enough. That’s another challenge sometime, that there is not enough rotation of players.”

Pirates’ struggles have highlighted the impact of Manyisa, how he made the club tick. Without the “real Manyisa”, the Buccaneers have lacked creativity in midfield. That could change with the presence of Harold “Jazzy Queen” Legodi as the club’s assistant coach. Legodi got on the Buccaneers' ship along with new coach Kjell Jonevret, who joined the club on a three-year contract, to be a part of a technical team that also includes former captain Benson Mhlongo.

Manyisa is one of Legodi’s prodigies, along with Mpho Makola and Patrick Phungwayo.

“Like all of us, soccer players are not machines,” Khoza said. “They are human beings who require nurturing and an ear to listen to them when things go off the rails. The optimum functioning of a team requires technical fitness. It also requires that we get energy in the team that work in sync. 

Loyal fans of Orlando Pirates have proven to be fickle in the past when it comes to coaching staff. 

"That requires a steady hand, someone who has been in a player’s position and someone that players can trust and respect. Someone who is knowledgeable and encouraging, a good listener who is even tempered. A developer of talent and confidence. Harold “Jazzy Queen” Legodi is the closest embodiment of the characteristics I have mentioned.”

Legodi will help Jonevret settle into a difficult job because of his knowledge of South African football and insight into some of the players at the club who came through his academy. Legodi and Mhlongo could lead the Buccaneers against Polokwane City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday should that match come before the Swedish coach receives his work permit.

Pirates desperately need to start collecting points after going on a nine-match winless streak. That poor form and the heavy weight of expectation have taken a toll on the players who are lacking confidence. Helping players regain their confidence will be key in getting the Buccaneers climb up the ladder.

“We need to get somebody who will be close to the players because the technical side is the technical side but there are also human issues,” Khoza said.

“Players are very shy people, they don’t just talk openly. They need somebody who will understand their psyche and persona to get the real problems because they always dribble you when they tell you their stories.”

The Star

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