Lucky warns Bucs: Beware the Celtic jinx

ORLANDO PIRATES legend Lucky Lekgwathi has warned that the team should guard against complacency when they host Bloemfontein Celtic at Orlando Stadium in a Nedbank Cup quarter-final today (8.30pm).

Failure to do so, Lekgwathi reasons, might see the Sea Robbers fail to grab their only chance of winning some silverware this season.

Lekgwathi, who captained the Sea Robbers to six trophies (two Absa Premiership titles, two MTN8 trophies, the Nedbank Cup and Telkom Knockout cup) in the space of two seasons during his playing days, said it was crucial that Pirates switch on to the demands of the club and their myriad of fans.

“I always referred to Bloem Celtic as a hoodoo team during my playing days,” Lekgwathi said.

“They always ‘turned up’ each time they played us. I remember back in 2012, they beat us (5-4) on penalties after having played to a 3-3 draw in the semi-finals of the Telkom Knockout. They equalised after each time we scored.

“I believe they haven’t changed one bit,” Lekgwathi added.

“You should also remember that this is a side that beat Pirates (2-1) in a league tie before we went into the midseason break.

“They are going into this match all fired up.

“They know Pirates can be beaten, current form notwithstanding.

“Pirates need to be careful, that’s all.”

Asked if he thought the Sea Robbers had finally turned the corner in what has been a difficult season following their recent four- game unbeaten streak in all competitions, the former Pirates skipper said: “Players changed their attitudes; that’s it.

“The club went through a tough time in this campaign mainly because of that. Players didn’t want to perform under the previous coaches for reasons, to this day, I do not know.”