UKUNGAHUQI ubuthongo kwe-Orlando Pirates njengoba kuvuleke imakethe yokuhwebelana ngabadlali kuyizinkomba ezisobala ngezifiso zaleli qembu laseSoweto zokuhamba ibanga elide kwiCaf Champions League ngesizini ezayo.
Lokhu kuhlaluke enkulumeni kaThandi Merafe, wezokuxhumana kwiPirates abenayo nabe-eNCA izolo ekuseni, lapho bebezokhangisa khona ngomswenko abazobe bebonakala ngawo e-Afrika nakwiDStv Premiership ngesizini ezoqala maduze.
Kusukela kuvuleke iwindi lokushintshana ngabadlali, iPirates isiqinise isikwati sayo ebesivele siwukhonkolo, ngonozinti uMelusi Buthelezi, obekwi-TS Galaxy, Siphelo Baloni, obelihlikihla kwi-All Stars FC (Motsepe Foundation Championship), Katlego Otladisa osuka kwiMarumo Gallants edliwe izembe, Patrick Maswanganyi, obekwiSuperSport United, Siphamandla Gumede, weDondol Stars, Lesedi Kapinga, obegqunywe iMamelodi Sundowns noKarim Kimvuidi obedlalela iMaritzburg United eyehlele esigabeni esingezansi kwesikhulu.
“Kusemqoka ukulishayela ihlombe ibhodi lePirates ngokuthatha izinqumo ezifanele ngaso sonke isikhathi okubalwa khona nabadlali abasayiniswe iqembu,” kusho uMerafe.
“Isizini edlule isikhombisile izinga esingafika kulona uma sizimisele. Sidle izinkomishi ezimbili saqeda endaweni yesibili kwi-log. Indlela esengeze ngayo ngokwabadlali nohlobo lwabadlali esilufake emabhukwini ethu, umsebenzi osewenziwe njengoba sizilungiselela isizini uyakucacisa ukuthi iqembu lifunani ngesizini ezayo kodwa okumnandi kakhulu abadlali bayakuqonda okufuneka kubona,” kusho uMerafe.
Ukungajwayeleki kwendlela okwakhiwe ngayo ijezi elisha lePirates kungenye yezindlela leli qembu elifuna ukukhombisa ngazo ukuthi libuyele inkanyezi yesibili kweyeCaf.
Lokhu kushiwo uMerafe kuyona le nkulumo yakhe.
Ijezi lePirates lihlukile kwajwayelekile. Ngesikhathi lakhiwa kwa-Adidas, kuqalwe kwahlalwa phansi nomsiki wengqephu wakuleli, uThebe Magugu.
Elasekhaya lombala omnyama, phambili linomndwebo ogqamile owakha uphawu lweZimnyama, lwekhanda “lesipoki” namathambo aphambene. Elasekuhambeli liluhlaza nalo lahlotshiwa ngendlela efanayo.
Okuhlukile ngalokhu ukuthi kuthungelwe kulona ijezi kodwa futhi kuzishaya sangxubevange yezindlela noma imigudu.
“Leli jezi likuveza ngokusobala ukuthi siya kwiChampions League ngesibindi nokuzethemba ngenhloso yokubuya nenkanyezi yesibili,” usho uMerafe kanje ngejezi.
Ijezi elisha lePirates bese litholakala kusukela izolo ezitolo zakwa-Adidas kuzwelonke.
IPirates izobhekana neDjabal Club yaseComoros kowesigaba sokuqala seyokuhlunga yeChampions League ngenyanga ezayo.