MINENHLE MKHIZE
UKHALA ngokuncishwa ithuba elanele lokuzibonakalisa u-Onyekachi Okonkwo owayengaconsi phansi kubalandeli abaningi be-Orlando Pirates ngaphambi kokuyishiya aye phesheya eminyakeni edlule.
Selokhu ebuyile ekuqaleni kwesizini libonakala lehlile izinga lakhe uma liqhathaniswa nangesikhathi eyijoyina okokuqala iBucs ngo-2004.
Ekuqaleni konyaka leli phephandaba libike ukuthi u-Okonkwo akaneme kuBucs futhi ubefunwa yiSuperSport United kodwa usihlalo weqembu u-Irvin Khoza wanqaba. Obekwenza afune ukuhamba yingoba ubelizwa ngendaba ijezi.
KweZimnyama umiswe kabi ngo-Andile “Gattuso” Jali noThandani Ntshumayelo enkabeni yenkundla.
U-Okonkwo udalule ukuthi udinga ithuba elanele lokuziveza ukuthi akakaphelelwa ngushatini.
Lo mdlali ubengaconsi phansi kubalandeli beBucs ngesikhathi efika okokuqala kuleli qembu esuka ku-Enyimba yaseNigeria. EMayfair ufike waphenduka intandokazi kubalandeli beBhakabhaka ngenxa yeminyakazo yakhe emihle ngaphansi kwesandla sika-Kostadin Papic. Ngo-2006 usize iPirates yafinyelela kowandulela amanqamu eCaf Champions League.
“Ngomzuliswano wokuqala ngidlale imidlalo eyingcosana. Namanje angikalitholi ithuba lokudlala elanele. Abantu akumele bangihlulele ngemidlalo engafikile ngisho kweyishumi engisayidlale selokhu ngibuyele kuPirates. Uma ngingathola ithuba elanele lokudlala bazobona ukuthi kukhulu engisengakwenzela iqembu. Okwami wukuthi ngiqhubeke nokusebenza kanzima ejimini ngilinde umqeqeshi (uRoger de Sa) ukuthi angibophele esikimini. Ngizoqhubeka nokubekezela ngize ngithole ithuba elanele,” kusho u-Okonkwo osedlale imidlalo engu-12 eqenjini lesizwe laseNigeria.
Ushiye kuPirates ngo-2007 wajoyina i-FC Zurich yase-Switzerland, adle nayo isicoco seligi ngo-2009.
Emdlalweni odlule wePirates ibhekene neZanaco yaseZambia, koweChampions League, udlalile kodwa akangenza into ebabazisayo.
Phakathi nesizini kuvele izindaba zokuthi u-Okonkwo akahoshelani kahle noDe Sa ocija iBucs, bacishe babambana ngezandla kwalamula uSiyabonga Sangweni. U-Okonkwo kuthiwa wayecikwa wukuthi akanikwa ithuba lokudlala.
“Ubudlelwano bami noDe Sa buhle. Sixhumana kahle kabi naye, indaba yokuthi sasusana naye angiyazi yayiqhamuka kuphi. Mina ngibeka iqembu phambili ngoba yilona eliza kuqala kunami,” kusho u-Okonkwo.
NgoMgqibelo eZimnyama zizogadulisana ne-University of Pretoria e-Orlando Stadium, ngo-8.15 ebusuku emdlalweni weligi. Zisele ngamaphuzu amahlanu nomdlalo owodwa kuKaizer Chiefs ezihola phambili ngamaphuzu angu-47 emidlalweni engu-22.
Imidlalo ye-Absa Premiership imi kanje:
NgoLwesihlanu:
Moroka Swallows v Free State Stars (Dobsonville Stadium, 6pm); Ajax Cape Town v AmaZulu (Cape Town Stadium, 8pm)
NgoMgqibelo:
Lamontville Golden Arrows v Bidvest Wits (King Zwelithini Stadium, 3.30pm); Platinum Stars v Mamelodi Sundowns (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, 3.30pm); SuperSport United v Black Leopards (Lucas Moripe Stadium, 6pm); Orlando Pirates v University of Pretoria (FNB Stadium, 8.15pm)
NgeSonto:
Bloemfontein Celtic v Kaizer Chiefs (Free State Stadium, 3.30pm); Maritzburg United v Chippa (Harry Gwala Stadium, 3.30pm).