AMAZWI kakaputeni we-Orlando Pirates, u-Innocent Maela, akhomba ukuthi uzozifica zigawulwe zabekwa obengumqeqeshi wabo phambilini uFadlu Davids, uma ezoya kubo ngomqondo wokuthi uyabazi.
UDavids, ohlale kwiPirates isikhathi esingaphezu kweminyaka emibili njengephini, nanjengebamba lomqeqeshi, ubuyela e-Orlando Stadium esekhuzela iMaritzburg United, emdlalweni weDStv Premiership okusasa ngo-7.30 ebusuku. Uzobe ebhekene neqembu lakhe elidala kwiPirates.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, uzobe ebhekene nomlingani wakhe omdala uMandla Ncikazi, ozobe ehola ibhentshi ngenxa yokuthi inhloko yabaqeqeshi uJose Reviero, idonsa isigwebo sekhadi elibomvu. URiviero uthole ikhadi elibomvu ngempelasonto edlule bedlala oweNedbank Cup Last 32.
UMaela oqale ukuba ngukaputeni uDavids esekhona kwiPirates, uthe uzophoxeka kakhulu Davids uma ezotheleka kwesikaMaminzela ngomqondo wokuthi uyayazi iPirates.
“Akufihliwe ukuthi umqeqeshi wethu uzobe engekho ngenxa yekhadi elibomvu kodwa-ke kumqeqeshi uMandla, noSergio (Almenara), sinabaqeqeshi abanamagalelo okusiweza,” kusho uMaela.
“Umqeqeshi uFadlu sisebenze naye isikhathi eside, impela kufanele ukube uyayazi inkambiso yePirates kodwa uyobe wenze elikhulu iphutha uma eke wazitshela ukuthi uyasazi ngokokudlala kwethu kulezi zinsuku. Okumqoka njengamanje wukuqoqa amaphuzu. Kungcono ngoba uyazi ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani kithi ukulwela indawo ezikhaleni zokuyodlala kwiCaf.”
Ukhuluma ngeCaf nje uMaela, kubukeka sekuyiyo kuphela abangayilwela uma kubhekwa kwi-log yeDStv Premiership ngoba iMamelodi Sundowns ivule inkanankana yegebe esicongweni.
“Njengoba ngisho nje, okumqoka kwiPirates wukudlala imiqhudelwano emikhulu. ICaf sinamathuba amabili okuya kuyo, ngeNedbank Cup nangeligi. Okuningi asizikhathazi ngakho,” kuchaza uMaela.
“Kimi kumqoka kakhulu ukuthi sidlale kule miqhudelwano emikhulu ngoba ngifuna eminyakeni ezayo sikhunjulwe njengesizukulwane seqembu esenze izinto ezinhle sajabulisa abalandeli baso ngezindlela eziningi nangezicoco.”
Imidlalo yangempelasonto, kuzobe kungeyokugcina yeligi ngaphambi kokuthi iPirates inqwamane neKaizer Chiefs kowomkhaya baseSoweto ngoFebhuwari 25.
UMaela uthe azikho izigi eziza neChiefs ezingabashayisa ngovalo ngakho bazocabanga ngayo uma sebelungiselela umdlalo wayo.