Is Petersen the cure for Bucs’ keeper woes?
MINENHLE MKHIZE
OCTOBER will mark six years since Senzo Meyiwa died and Orlando Pirates have recruited numerous goalkeepers without any success in an attempt to fill the void left by the Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal-born footballer.
Meyiwa was shot and killed in 2014 when he was at the peak of his career. He was commanding a regular starting berth for both Bafana Bafana and the Buccaneers.
Over the years, the Sea Robbers have signed goalkeepers and none of them have been able to make the No 1 position their own for too long. This makes the goalkeeping department effectively a vacant post and Bidvest Wits’ Brandon Petersen is now reportedly the next goal minder for Pirates.
The Clever Boys will be history in top flight football at the end of the current season after selling their status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.
Already players have agreed to join some of the big guns.
Petersen, Thulani Hlatshwayo and Deon Hotto are on their way to Pirates, while Gift Motupa, Haashim Domingo and Ricardo Goss have agreed the deals with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pirates’ current No 1 Wayne Sandilands was shaky when he started but has since settled. But truth be told, he is nowhere near the level Meyiwa was before his death.
After joining the Buccaneers from Sundowns, there were questions asked about Sandilands, especially after Hlompho Kekana scored against him from the halfway line.
But Sandilands has recovered from that and other blunders to provide some stability at the back.
Another indication that the Buccaneers have not stopped shopping for a reliable goalie is that they have for some time been linked with Maritzburg United and Ghanaian international Richard Ofori.
But the reported signing of Petersen will put that speculation to bed.
In the last five years, Pirates have used the likes of Fatau Dauda, Felipe Ovono, Brighton Mhlongo, Jackson Mabokgwane and Joris Delle.
All of these goal minders have found it difficult to earn a regular starting berth. Some of them even left the club, like Dauda, Ovono and Mhlongo.
Can Petersen change the fortunes between the sticks for the Buccaneers and follow in the footsteps of legends like William Okpara, Meyiwa, Patson “Sparks” Banda, Francis Chansa and Hlompho Kekana Josephs?
These legends represented the Buccaneers with honour and outstanding distinction.
Petersen will compete with Sandilands, Delle and Siyabonga Mpontshane.
Brilliant Khuzwayo was forced to retire last year after his persistent knee injury.
A wave of jubilation overwhelmed the Buccaneers when he joined the club from Kaizer Chiefs but he was forced to retire without even making his debut.
Petersen will be under scrutiny to deliver at Bucs and make his name in their colours in the new season.