There was a glaring omission at Orlando Pirates’ 75th anniversary celebrations last weekend. In the main hall of the Sandton Convention Centre teeming with Buccaneers faithful, closet fans and admirers, the majority of whom were resplendent in black and white attire, huge pictures adorned the walls. These were not just ordinary pictures. These were pictures that told of the club’s historic contribution to the beautiful game locally; pictures of the game’s stalwarts.
As one entered the hall, there was the picture of the late, great Chippa Moloi in full flight from an opponent, the father of current Buccaneers’ assistant coach and former star, Teboho Moloi, having starred in black and white in the late 1960s and ’70s.
Across from Moloi’s picture on the left was that of Kaizer Motaung, the man they call Chincha Guluva, wearing a smile as he headed the ball in his black and white track suit. The wall to the right of the stage was adorned with two pictures as well. The first was most recent – a beaming Lucky Lekgwathi with his hand displaying a high-five in celebration of the Buccaneers’ five successive trophies haul which culminated in Pirates’ victory in the Telkom Knockout. Next to it was the most famous Pirates picture of them all, that splendid portrait of Jomo Sono up in the air in celebration with his back to the camera, the Black Prince recognisable through his number 110 jersey and the crowd delirious in front of him. The wall to the right had a picture of Moeneeb Josephs clutching the MTN8 trophy.
And that was it! Nothing on arguably the Buccaneers’ greatest triumph of all in their history! Someone should have been wrapped over the knuckles. How on earth could they have forgotten the magical African Champions Cup triumph of 1995? That victory over the mighty Asec Mimosa in their own backyard courtesy of Jerry Sikhosana’s predatory strike was the defining moment of Pirates’ return to glory after Irvin Khoza returned to the club to steer the ship out of rough seas.
And as the 75th anniversary celebrations went on, it soon became clear that nothing will make this milestone more special for the Iron Duke and all associated with Pirates than more continental success.
Screamer Tshabalala, Khoza’s confidant and an influential figure in all matters technical at Pirates, spoke of how his friend desperately wanted to see Pirates adding a second star (courtesy of winning Africa’s premier club competition) to their jersey.
“The reason he’s buying all these players,” he said of Khoza’s transfer window shopping spree that brought Luis Boa-Morte, Sifiso Myeni and Thandani Ntshumayelo into the Bucs fold, “is that he wants to win the Champions League.
Lest it be forgotten, it was Khoza’s business savvy that helped turn the competition from a mere tournament to the prestigious event it now is. Having won it in 1995, with little coming their way in terms of financial gain, Khoza impressed on Caf to go out in search of sponsors for the competition, which was immediately turned into the Champions League.
Pirates begin their quest for a second star in Port Elizabeth on Sunday against Angola’s Recreativo do Libolo. It won’t be an easy task winning the Champions League. But Khoza is renowned for generally getting his way, and you can bet he’s going to stop at nothing to help Pirates conquer Africa again. Just as he did back in 1995, you can bet on him sparing no cent to ensure that his boys are not distracted from the task at hand, even if it means getting the team to stay at five star hotels at his cost instead of the dilapidated inns teeming with prostitutes.
And should Benni McCarthy score the winning goal that sees Lucky Lekgwathi lifting the Champions League title come November, you can bet your bottom rand that that image will take pride of place at the Iron Duke’s office in Parktown. – Sunday Independent