IGNORING the ‘noise’ coming from outside the team will be key for Orlando Pirates in their campaign to collect enough points in the remaining nine Betway Premiership games to put themselves in a position to end their 14-year streak of losing the league title.
This advice came from the mouth of Lucky “Phinda Mzala” Lekgwathi who is the last captain of Pirates who lifted the league trophy in the 2011/2012 season.
This season, Pirates are trying to dislodge Mamelodi Sundowns, who have turned the tables on South Africa’s biggest league. The Brazilians are trying to win the league title for the ninth time.
Lekgwathi will always be in the history of the Pirates for being the first and last captain to lift the league title in consecutive seasons, with four trophies.
“Winning the league title is not limited to what the team does on the field but the players’ skulls must be strong enough outside the field or inside it,” said Lekgwati inOf this country.
“In order for the team to be crowned league champions, they must collect enough points, but it is also important to have ways to cover their ears to avoid hearing the negative things that are being said about them.
“There is a lot of talk at the moment, but it should be there because it is not usual that until March the battle for the title of the Mzansi big league is not clear which team is in favor.
“The biggest thing Pirates has done is that until this time it is not clear where the title is going.
“There is a lot that seems to be coming together for Pirates this season because the coach (Abdeslam Ouaddou) is showing signs of having strategies that he may bring this season.
“On top of this, the team is strong enough when it comes to the players, so the most important thing is to close your ears to avoid hearing the doubters who are determined to die on the field.
“I won’t compare with the times when we are still playing because a lot of things are different, but I see that Pirates have all the ingredients needed to win the league even though it is clear that Sundowns will not let them go easily,” said Lekgwathi.
This newspaper is talking like this, different coaches in the Betway Premiership namely Manqoba Mngqithi of Lamontville Golden Arrows, Phuthi Mohafe of Polokwane City and Eric Tinkler of Sekhukhune United are destroying Pirates in the league competition.
Pirates will return to the field to face TS Galaxy in the league match at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, on Sunday at 3.30 pm.