Johannesburg - Back in 1990, when the majority of the current Orlando Pirates squad were yet to be born, the Sea Robbers tackled the Soweto Derby “without a coach”.
It was not exactly the same as it will be on Saturday afternoon, when they face off against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs sans the suspended Jose Riveiro, but they were “coach-less” nevertheless.
And a player who was a part of that momentous Saturday afternoon on November 3, 1990, believes there are many similarities between then and now. So much so that he has challenged Pirates to “smash Chiefs like we did”.
Teboho Moloi was among the scorers when Pirates hammered Chiefs 5-1 in a league match at the old FNB Stadium 33 years ago and remembers that they’d gone into that clash under the guidance of a caretaker coach in Johannes Yster Khomane.
“The club had just fired Dave Roberts, and bra Yster took charge. He allowed us to be. He was not restrictive and we played with so much freedom that we really enjoyed ourselves. No wonder we smashed Chiefs the way we did.”
Moloi acknowledges that Riveiro will still have an influence in the match, given that he is merely suspended and not fired. But he believes this is an opportunity for Mandla Ncikazi to come to the fore.
“Mandla has been here before and I believe he has to take charge. He was part of the Pirates team that smashed Chiefs during Covid when (Thembinkosi) Lorch scored very early and (Siphesihle) Ndlovu and Linda Mntambo also scored. He should induct the other assistant (Spaniard Sergio Almenara) he will be on the bench with about how to win the derby. It is not a match that requires coaching, but rather needs you to just guide.
“In that match we got some guidance from our captain Dan Malesela who had just been injured after that tackle by Steve Sekano (former Moroka Swallows star). Dan played a big role to help calm us down and I remember him celebrating wildly when I scored even though he was on crutches.”
As he reflects on that 1990 demolition of the arch-enemy, Moloi can’t help but see their team in the current Pirates.
“We had a very attacking team, I played with Botsotso (Ernest Makhanya) and Bazooka (Nick Seshweni) in the midfield and Rod Anley was our destroyer. And then up front we had Metroblitz (Mandla Sithole) and Killer (Lawrence Maake). We had five attack-minded players and Rod Anley had his best attacking day because he scored two.
“This team is so similar to ours from back then. They have so much ammunition in attack with (Phillip) Ndlondlo, Kermit (Erasmus), (Monnapule) Saleng, (Vincent) Pule, (Thembinkosi) Lorch and (Terence) Dzvukamanja. And they also have Ben Motshwari who is a destroyer like Rod Anley was for us.”
He believes playing with freedom will do the trick for the Buccaneers who are on a four-match winning streak.
“The key for them will be to just go out there and just enjoy the game and play offensively. If they do that they should be able to smash Chiefs like we did.”
Moloi says he is disturbed by the attitude he has picked up from the team that seems to suggest they want to downplay the derby’s stature.
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“I’ve heard people saying it is a game like any other and that players should not be caught up in the occasion. That’s nonsense. The derby is a huge occasion. It comes once every 15 games. You have to play the occasion. I believe the players should go out there and be pumped up for the festivities of the derby, that’s how you rise to the occasion. We did that during our time and that’s why we were able to produce the kind of performances we did. We don’t want a boring goalless derby because the teams are holding back and the players are afraid to express themselves.”
He and his teammates expressed themselves to great effect back in 1990 and Moloi wishes the club carried out an induction of sorts for the new players, perhaps showing them videos of matches such as that 5-1 demolition of Amakhosi.
IOL Sport