“I know I can do even better” Bucs’ Makola
It’s been a heart-breaking season for Orlando Pirates, but Mpho Makola can be proud of his form.
“The loss of a friend and teammate is still hanging heavily over the Pirates squad.”
Orlando Pirates midfielder Mpho Makola describes the 2014/15 season as a complete rollercoaster ride, alluding to the team’s great start to their League and cup campaigns before Senzo Meyiwa’s death staggered them. Returning fresh into the new season after going two seasons without a decent break due to their escapades in the 2013 CAF Champions League, Pirates came into the pre-season campaign on a high after bagging the Nedbank Cup in May 2014. They also beat arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black Label Cup in July. Vladimir Vermezovic’s side beat SuperSport United in the opening round of the MTN8 a week later, then dispatched Bidvest Wits 5-1 on aggregate en route the Final. There they once again met their Soweto rivals, but Stuart Baxter’s side got the better of the Buccaneers thanks to a Tefu Mashamaite header midway through the first half. Meanwhile, in the Premiership, Makola and his teammates had mustered a satisfactory 11 League points out of 18 after the first six rounds of fixtures, and needed to turn back their focus to the ongoing marathon, as well as the Telkom Knockout which kicked off early in October. The Buccaneers humiliated Ajax Cape Town 4-1 to reach the semi-finals at a rain-infused Orlando Stadium. This turned out to be Senzo Meyiwa’s last outing – his still-unsolved murder occurring a day later. The Pirates players were shattered. How does one focus on football when a friend has been violently taken away? From that point on it was a downward spiral. “I don’t know,” Makola says with a great sigh. “We started well, reaching the MTN 8 Final, going on to the Telkom Knockout semi-finals, and then Senzo’s sudden loss caught us off guard.” As ‘Bibo’ searches for words, it becomes clear that, despite six months having passed, the loss of their friend and teammate is still hanging heavily over the Pirates squad. By the time of the midseason break, Pirates had won only two of their nine matches since the passing of Meyiwa. “We tried to come back against SuperSport, but it just returned and hit us hard, and results weren’t going our way,” Makola continues. At the Premiership’s halfway mark, Pirates were fourth on the standings with 26 points
from their 17 matches played, but Vermezovic had resigned from his post after a 2-1 League defeat to Maritzburg United. The turn of the year saw caretaker coach Eric Tinkler’s men come back strong and determined as they notched up an eight-match unbeaten streak, up to and including a 3-3 draw against Platinum Stars. “We came back [from the recess] and picked ourselves up in order to finish this season on a high. Unfortunately we dropped out of the Nedbank Cup, but we still have the Confederation Cup group stages in our sights,” Makola says. With Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns both out of the Champions League, and Wits out of the preliminary round of
the Confederations Cup, Pirates are once again flying the flag. “We are the only South African team left in a CAF competition, so we have to go out there and give a good representation of ourselves again. We also have our Champions League experience to rely on as we approach the group stage, where the big African teams await. Hopefully we can go all the way in this one, like we did in 2013,” Bibo says. Makola has enjoyed his most productive season to date, making 28 starts and scoring four goals in all competitions, beating his previous career best of 26 starts and three goals at Free State Stars in 2010/11. “It’s been a great season for me. I’ve managed to score more goals, which was one of the areas where I’ve been lacking. However, I’m still not satisfied because there is no silverware to show for it.” The tricky midfielder is hungry for more goals: “I should be scoring eight to 10 goals every season because, if you look at my position, I get into so many good scoring positions and I still don’t score. I’m happy, though, that I am able to create chances for my teammates, but I could still reach eight goals every season if I push myself more.” And while his mind is on Pirates forging ahead in Africa, he takes a moment to praise rivals Chiefs: “They are our direct competition whether we like it or not, but I have to say they had a great season, and they basically wrapped up the title in the first half of the season. “We have to learn from this season and make sure we improve in the next,” he says.