A bolt out the blue
ON THE COUNTER: PIRATES SIGN SANGWENI DESPITE TRAINING WITH WITS
Turbulent times for the Sea Robbers as Chippa midfielder comes on board.
Orlando Pirates yesterday announced the signing of Thamsanqa Sangweni from Chippa United on a threeyear deal, seemingly pipping Bidvest Wits to the 28 year-old midfielder’s signature.
Wits coach Gavin Hunt confirmed last week that Sangweni was training with the Clever Boys, but the Buccaneers sprung a surprise in announcing that it was they who had captured the former AmaZulu and Mamelodi Sundowns player.
“I am very happy to have joined the club. I look forward to making a positive contribution to the team and help the team to bounce back to where we all know it belongs,” Sangweni told the Pirates official website.
“I would like to thank the chairman (Chippa Mpengesi), the staff and the supporters of Chippa United for all they have done for me, I will be forever grateful.”
Thamsanqa is the younger brother of former Pirates and Bafana Bafana central defensive star Siyabonga Sangweni.
It remains to be seen if the younger Sangweni is coached by Kjell Jonevret next season, after a dismal 2016/17 campaign ended in an embarrassing defeat to SuperSport in the Nedbank Cup final. But the Swede has remained confident he will bring the club back to its best in the upcoming season.
“When I arrived here, I hoped it would be easier, we tried to stabilise the team and the fact that we got to the final was proof,” claimed the Pirates mentor.
The club’s poor display which sees the team not being part of next year’s MTN8 Cup competition for the first time in the PSL era, has raised a lot of questions around the current squad.
Ahead of the new season, Jonevret indicated that the club needs new faces in order to start challenging for silverware. and to compete with other best teams in the league
“I’m hungry for success, I want an opportunity to have a full season with my team and we will get better. We need a few changes in personnel in order to be a top team again, but it is premature to talk about that,” the Swede added.