Orlando Pirates have demonstrated a strong sense of camaraderie this season, particularly highlighted by the support shown for Boitumelo Radiopane recently.
Jose Riveiro, the head coach of the Buccaneers, has emphasized the unity within the squad, noting that the team often makes him proud with their off-field interactions. “The human level of this group this season is something else,” Riveiro said.
“They make us feel proud almost every day with things I cannot say publicly, that belong to the privacy of the team.”
The team spirit was evident when Radiopane scored his first goal for Pirates from a penalty kick against Marumo Gallants FC.
Despite competing for a spot with seasoned strikers like Evidence Makgopa, Tshegofatso Mabasa, and Zakhele Lepasa, Radiopane’s teammates rallied around him, celebrating his achievement. “It was public (against Gallants), it was obvious to see how much they care about each other,” Riveiro said, acknowledging the tough competition for the striker position.
“It’s difficult to get minutes in a team that plays with one number nine so far, but the way he works every day, the dedication, the professionalism, the good soul that he is, you could see everyone was happy to see Radio on the field and have an opportunity to score and get confidence.”
Moreover, Riveiro pointed out the benefits of the match beyond the scoreline, with players like Tapelo Xoki, Azola Tshobeni, and Gilberto gaining valuable first-team minutes. This is crucial as Pirates face a busy schedule with seven fixtures scheduled between now and February 1.
“We need everybody, we’re going into a very congested period of games,” Riveiro explained. “January and February, it’s nice to see Tapelo back, making the first minutes after a long time out of the field.
“Azola Tshobeni is also coming on and getting some minutes. Gibele (Gilberto) is also showing little by little the player he can be for the team, so there is a lot of good news around the result.”
As the season progresses, the unity and support within the Pirates squad could very well be the key to navigating through their challenging fixture list.