Pirates’ fighting spirit non-existent in final

Orlando Pirates let down their fans in that 4-1 Nedbank Cup defeat by SuperSport United over the weekend. There were about 90% of fans that were behind Pirates, so it was disappointing to see that type of performance, let alone the scoreline.

It was exciting to see five goals in a cup final, but the concern I have with Pirates’ players is that the effort was hardly there. I don’t think they tried very hard. I didn’t see that sense of hunger and determination, and that was the most disappointing part of it.

Great teams also lose by big margins, which is normal, but we would have loved to see that fighting spirit. The responsibility is now with the management to do a thorough review of the season. This is not the first time we’ve seen Pirates doing badly. In the previous season they also didn’t shape. This is not what is expected from a team of Pirates’ calibre.

If the management needs to take tough decisions, then they must do that for the sake of the badge. If they have to part with their star players, then those decisions must be taken. At the same time, management needs to talk to the key players in the team who they believe are capable of taking the team forward, and from there they need to map the way ahead.

With the exception of Mamelodi Sundowns, we are starting to see the gap between the top three (Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns) and the rest of the pack being closed. In actual fact, Bidvest Wits and SuperSport should be counted among the big teams. Not disrespecting the other clubs, but their management styles have been impressive, and they have been delivering silverware, especially SuperSport – they have been consistent in terms of delivering the trophies.

We are starting to see Wits delivering as well, and in that, the big clubs need to use this as a wake-up call in order to make sure that they sustain their dominance in South African football. It is no longer about the issue of who has more supporters in the country than the other, it is about the quality you find in the team.

The so-called smaller teams are bringing in quality players, and the likes of Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are being challenged because they did not win anything this season. Everyone will be waiting to see how they respond next season.

The glory of winning the Nedbank Cup is not the fact that it is the last game of the season and you get to have the last say – it is about the fact that it takes you to the Caf Confederation Cup. In the case of SuperSport, it will do them a world of good as they are currently doing well in this season’s competiton, and for them to go back will only help them strengthen their team. Not only do SuperSport stand to benefit, but the country as a whole does because this now widens the pool of players who will have international experience. More players will get that exposure and will now be able to interact and to feel what it is like to play against international opposition.

It will help the players when they get selected for the national team. They are bound to do well individually and for the team as well and that is what we need to proceed to the Fifa World Cup because we will need players with international experience.