Johannesburg – Innocent Maela was wet behind the ears when he joined Orlando Pirates, but he’ll have to man up if he wants to guide his troops to a derby win on Saturday afternoon.
But that will not be an easy feat, given the fact that Pirates are high on confidence after back-to-back wins, including away against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pirates beat Sundowns 3-0 in the MTN8 semi-final last Saturday to win the tie 3-0 on aggregate as they marched to the final where they’ll face AmaZulu.
Such exploits tend to influence players into thinking they’ve arrived and can beat any opponent that crosses their paths, even without being at their best.
So with rivals Kaizer Chiefs underdogs on a three-game winless streak heading to the derby at FNB Stadium, it could be easy for Pirates to take them for granted.
And that’s why Maela has to intervene and make his players understand that what is gone is gone, and form counts for nothing ahead of the Soweto derby.
“There’ll always be pressure playing in the Soweto derby. But we are confident that we’ll do well. We believe in the team and structure,” Maela explained.
Maela was a newbie at the club seven seasons ago, needing the guidance of the senior players, gaining experience before being appointed as the Pirates skipper this season.
And that’s why he knows that the magnitude of the game could either make or break a player’s career going forward – especially for the newbies.
Pirates signed at least nine players during the transfer window and they are set to have a lot of derby debutants in The Calabash, including Phillip Ndlondo.
Ndlondlo made his Pirates debut against Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final first leg. Despite that match being sold out, its buzz is second compared to the derby.
And that’s where Maela comes in. He has to ensure his teammates keep their heads and see out the match with a positive result.
“I always tell them to focus on their game and do the right things when they play. They must trust the team effort and not try to be a stand-out player,” Maela explained.
“I always tell the players, especially the new ones, that when you play you must always try to believe in the team. And that your time to shine will duly come.”
The Soweto derby is perfectly set to be a rehearsal for Pirates, who’ll begin their MTN8 final preparations early next week for the match at Moses Mabhida.
But Maela says they are not obsessed with winning the derby heading to the final, given that a game presents its own uniqueness and challenges at some point.
“It’s very important for us to win on Saturday because that will boost our confidence. But I don’t think if we don’t, that will disturb our momentum,” he said.
“One match doesn’t define a team. But it’s always important to win and collect all three point just like in any other league match that we play this season.”
IOL Sport