Derby history runs deep
Chiefs, Pirates rivalry: sparks set to fly in Soweto
The day a principal, a massive Pirates fan, helped rivals sign Khuse under Chiefs’ noses.
Ayoung Donald “Ace” Khuse was looking forward to playing for Kaizer Chiefs when, somehow, their rivals, Orlando Pirates managed to steal him from right under Amakhosi’s noses.
It was in 1983 and Khuse was 20 and still in high school when he got news that his favourite Amakhosi would be signing him.
“They had an important derby match, (the Sales House Champ of Champs) against Pirates and said their officials would come on the following Monday to close the deal,” he said. That was a big mistake by Chiefs.
On the Friday, a day before the derby, the Buccaneers went to AB Phokompe Secondary in Randfontein where Khuse was a student to get his signature. “On the Friday, as I was on a school trip to Odendaalrus when Pirates came… I tried to run away from them. But our principal loved Pirates so much, he managed to convince me to join Pirates and I signed with them,” said Khuse this week.
The young lad had to run away again on the Monday when Chiefs officials came for him as he had already committed himself to the Buccaneers.
When the news that he had signed for the Buccaneers eventually spread, those close to him who knew that he was a Chiefs supporter through and through made it clear he would be a failure at Pirates because his heart would not be there.
That made him work extra hard to crack it at Orlando Stadium. He wait- ed 10 months before he could play in the famed Soweto Derby and said he can still feel the emotions he went through back then. He had to perform to prove the doubters wrong.
“We were going to play Chiefs at Orlando. Luckily for me, I scored on the day,” he said with a faint smile. “I loved Chiefs at the time, but because I played for Pirates I told myself that I had to prove some people wrong. They had made clear their thoughts that I would not make it at Pirates.
“I was supposed to play for Chiefs and those who wanted me there were saying I would not succeed at Pirates. I had so much to prove … I wanted to show them that I can play the game and no one can tell me that if I joined a certain team I would not make it.
“I did my best. I worked hard and I managed to score. I was a very, very happy man,” said the now 55-year-old Khuse, who works at Chiefs as a devel- opment coach. Khuse went on to play for Kaizer Chiefs, joining Amakhosi in 1989 before moving to club football in Turkey in 1993.
Going into this afternoon’s Soweto Derby, Khuse believes Amakhosi are better structured this time around to end Pirates dominance. Chiefs have not beaten Pirates in five years.
“Pirates have been doing well and play good football. But I think this time around we are better prepared to face them. I think you can see it on the field that the boys are ready and want to go out there and perform,” he said.