Orlando Pirates legend Lucky Lekgwathi has shared the conversation he had with the club’s head coach, Jose Riveiro, about the Soweto giants current squad Lekgwathi is pleased that the core of the squad that won the double last season is still there in the new season as Pirates look to defend their MTN8 and Nedbank Cup titles.
In addition, they are eager to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns and win the DStv Premiership title. The ex-Pirates captain believes that the competition for places in the team will motivate experienced players like captain Innocent Maela and midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch.
The Soweto giants have one of the best squads in the Premiership and added highly-rated players such as Lesedi Kapinga, Katlego Otladisa, Melusi Buthelezi, Sephelo Baloni and Patrick Maswanganyi to the star-studded team.
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LEKGWATHI: ‘RIVEIRO TOLD ME PIRATES HAVE A COMPLETE TEAM’
“You know, some weeks back, I went to meet the coach at a braai, and he said to me, ‘You know what, I have a complete team’, and I said to him, ‘I can see that’,” said Lekgwathi in an interview with iDiski Times.
“It’s not only Lorch. There are others too missing, the competition is stiff, and it’s a motivation to them that they must work extra hard. If you look at the team, no one owns a position, like our captain [Maela].
“He is not playing, and [Paseka] Mako is playing, which is a motivation for [Innocent] Maela because whenever he comes in he works very hard.
The youngsters’ arrival motivated Lorch, and that’s how it is in football.. There must be competition.
CURRENT TEAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO WIN THE LEAGUE
“We were just talking about the team. I was asking him, ‘Coach, how do you see the team?’ and he said ‘we have a complete team, a strong team’. After winning the MTN8 last season and finishing in second position most of the players are still there.” The treble-winning ex-Bucs skipper captain added the current team has the possible to win the league.
Lucky Lekgwathi went on to state that he share the same sentiments as Pirates coach Riveiro that they have a team to challenge for top honours.
“I can see what the coach was telling me was the truth because even as a legend and former player of Orlando Pirates [I’d say] we have a complete team,” he added.
“Credit must go to the leadership of the team because they didn’t relax and say we won the MTN8 and Nedbank whilst finishing in second position. We have a strong squad.
“They went and got other players to make the competition stiff, and you can see the competition is stiff at Pirates. So I am convinced that Pirates is going far.”