A shot in the arm for Bucs’ global brand
‘We are duty-bound to make sure we are part of this continent’
NOTHING has provided a much-needed spark to the slump South African football has found itself in for over a decade quite like Orlando Pirates’ two continental finals in three years.
Whether that spark ignites into a flame remains to be seen. But the Buccaneers — Caf Champions League finalists in 2013, now Confederation Cup finalists, where they meet Tunisians Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the first leg at Orlando Stadium on Saturday — deserve immense credit for having at least, finally, provided it.
Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza said in an interview that Bucs’ foremost motivation bucking a trend for Premier Soccer League clubs of being hesitant competing continentally is to respect the fact, at times forgotten in a country with a history of isolation, that, as the name suggests, South Africa is part of Africa.
“The first thing was to remind the players about the history of this club. That it was blessed to be supported and administered by struggle stalwarts,” Khoza said.
“But more importantly to remind the players and management what Africa did in trying to bring back the new dispensation. We are duty-bound to make sure we are part of this continent of ours.”
Next, Khoza said, is the need for players to add their legacy to the South African club with arguably the richest history.
Less idealistically, there is the unquantifiable business motivation. Success in Africa — stemming back to when Pirates were SA’s pathfinders continentally as 1995 Champions Cup winners — has been a shot in the arm to Bucs’ global brand, which has its own longterm financial spin-offs.
Archrivals Kaizer Chiefs rule the roost domestically. But Pirates’ reputation in Africa — boosted in the past three years — conceivably makes them the best-supported South African club north of the Limpopo.
“When we played AC Léopards in Congo-Brazzaville, there were supporters waiting for us at the airport. They supported Pirates in the stadium,” Khoza said.
“The same in Uganda. How can you explain that? When we won the 1995 Champions Cup we were the first to do it at the first attempt. The president of Senegal [Abdou Diouf] gave us a trophy for that. That is priceless.
“That’s how you create history. Going to that 2013 final against Al-Ahly, and sitting here today, my players have beaten the best teams in Africa — Al-Ahly, Zamalek, Esperance, Sfaxien, TP Mazembe. You can’t ask for more.”
Khoza — who questionably, though it’s a question most seem to have stopped bothering to ask, is also PSL chairman — also recognises that a club cannot claim to be one of the biggest in Africa until it has had success there. And nor can the league make similar claims about its status. He says as much without making a direct reference to Chiefs.
As much as Bucs’ attitude to continental football shows unusual long-term vision, there has been short-term sacrifice in the financial cost and lack of lucrative domestic titles. Pirates have won one trophy in SA in three seasons, after trebles in 2011 and 2012.
“I remember buying Mark Fish from Jomo Cosmos in 1993 for R250 000,” he said. “A lot of money. But with the benefit of hindsight it was a bargain.
“Because he went on to play for Lazio, Pirates won the Champions Cup and Super Cup, Bafana won the 1996 African Nations Cup.
“For me, yes, it’s expensive competing in Africa, but it can never be too expensive. If you want to be a brand in Africa, and in the world, you have to participate at a price.”
It’s a sacrifice that, as in 1995, really should benefit the national team again, too. The examples of club success transferring to national teams are there to see in Africa — Al Ahly and Zamalek for Egypt, TP Mazembe for Democratic Republic of Congo. “After Pirates reached the 2013 Champions League final, you saw an improvement in the national team,” Khoza said.
Small consolation, perhaps, to the man who, in his first fulltime head coaching assignment, has guided Bucs to the Confed final — former Bafana Bafana midfield hard man Eric Tinkler. Speculation has been rife that, as Bucs have sagged to the bottom half of the PSL, Tinkler’s run to the final has bought him time.
Right now, the official word from the horse’s mouth is that Tinkler deserves support.
“People must be reasonable,” Khoza said. “This team has not rested in three seasons.
“Travelling in Africa is not like Manchester United, who take a two-hour flight to play in Germany. My players can spend eight hours in an airport in transit. And you cannot expect them to come back and perform here. It has to be transmitted to the fans that we need to give our coach support because we are a victim of our own success.”