‘Abadlali abasha abashintshe iPirates’
UMQEQESHI owagcina ukunqoba isicoco se-Absa Premiership kwi-Orlando Pirates, u-Augusto “Njenje” Palacios, uphawula ngokwenza eZimnyama zihluke kuneqembu ebeliphela yinduku ngesizini edlule.
Kule sizini ka-2017/2018, iPirates yehluke kakhulu kuneqembu elilotsholwe yiSuperSport neMamelodi Sundowns ngamagoli ayisithupha.
IBucs ihlezi endaweni yesibili kwi-log ngamaphuzu awu-39 emidlalweni ewu-23. Ihlukaniswe ngamaphuzu amane neMamelodi Sundowns eseqhulwini.
UPalacios uthe ukufika kwabadlali abasha yikona okwenze eZimnyama ziphaphame.
“Njengamanje iPirates yakhiwe yiningi labadlali abalambile futhi abasafuna ukuzakhela igama. Uma unabadlali abalambile amathuba okuthi iqembu lenze kahle asuke emakhulu. Ngesizini edlule iPirates ibinabadlali abaningi abese bekhululeke kakhulu. Kunabadlali abebazi ukuthi noma kungenzekani kodwa bazodlala. “Njengamanje umbango wejezi ushubile ngoba wonke umuntu othole ijezi ufuna ukulibamba ngezandla zombili. Wonke umuntu ufuna ukulwela ibheji leqembu uma esenkundleni. Yingakho iPirates isiqala ukuthola imiphumela emihle ngoba sekubuye isiko elidala lokulwela ibheji leqembu,” kusho uPalacios. UPalacios, odabuka ePeru, nguyena owagcina enqobe isicoco seligi kwiPirates ngo-2011/2012.
“Ngesikhathi ngiwina iligi nganginabadlali abawu-32 bonke abaseqophelweni eliphezulu. Umbango wejezi wawushubile. Ngangibophele abadlali abafana noTokelo Rantie, Benni McCarthy, Ndumiso Mabena, Andile Jali, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Moneeb Josephs, Senzo Meyiwa, Oupa Manyisa noRudolf Bester. Bonke laba badlali babelwa enkundleni. Babeholwa ngabadlali abafana noLucky Lekgwathi noSiyabonga Sangweni ababedlala emuva kodwa bekwazi ukuqhamuka namagoli. Buka manje amagoli aseqhamuka nakoHappy Jele noNtsikelelo Nyauza. UMusa Nyatama uyambona ukuthi ufuna ukulwela ibheji leqembu,” kusho uPalacios.
NgoMgqibelo ngo-8.15 ebusuku iBucs izotholana phezulu neLamontville Golden Arrows ePrincess Magogo Stadium, KwaMashu emdlalweni weligi.
“Ngesikhathi ngiwina iligi kwase kusele imidlalo ewu-12 kuphele isizini. Emdlalweni wokuqala saguqiswa yiSantos kwathi kolandelayo sadlala umdlalo wabakhaya neKaizer Chiefs. Sanqoba ngo 3-2 ngemuva kwalokho asiphindanga sashaywa. Umphumela womdlalo wabakhaya walikhuthaza kakhulu iqembu. NePirates yamanje kungenzeka ukuthi umphumela womdlalo wabakhaya iyikhuthaze kakhulu,” kusho uPalacios.