Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is getting ready for the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs this weekend.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane
For Orlando Pirates, the quest for domestic success is a perennial narrative. Still, the reality is that enforcing their history, legacy, and aspirations on the continental stage should now be their central focus.
With their rich tradition in African football, the Buccaneers should place all their energies into winning the CAF Champions League, even if it means sacrificing their already weak chase for the Betway Premiership title.
The Sea Robbers, although with four games in hand, currently trail log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by 18 points and took a heavy blow at the weekend when they lost to Marumo Gallants.
Pirates have established themselves as one of South Africa’s most storied clubs, but it is their prominence on the continental stage that has etched them into the annals of African football history.
Their Champions League triumph in the 1995 campaign was a first in the country’s history, a fact never to be taken away from the record books.
The Champions League title has eluded them in recent decades. However, now, more than ever, it’s time for the club to make the competition their primary target, having sealed a place in the quarterfinal with an unbeaten group stage journey at that.
Unfortunately, the Betway Premiership, while important, has become a race dominated by the usual suspects, and Pirates’ pursuit of it has not delivered the kind of success the club’s supporters desire this season.
While league titles are essential for any club’s reputation, the emphasis should now shift toward the competition that truly distinguishes African footballing giants. The Champions League holds far more weight in terms of prestige, not just locally but across the continent.
For Pirates, winning it would cement their place among the greats, restoring the glory days and adding another prestigious chapter to their storied legacy as they would become the only club with two continental titles, a tag Sundowns have invested heavily to achieve.
Looking at the current landscape, Pirates find themselves in a meek battle for the league title, and the reality is that they are chasing a runaway leader in the form of Sundowns.
The defending champions, with their unrivaled consistency and strength, seem almost untouchable, and this has placed Pirates at a disadvantage.
Players like Relebohile Mofokeng, Tshegofatso Mabasa and Patrick Maswanganyi, along with the leadership of coach José Riveiro, have what it takes to challenge some of Africa’s top sides.
By putting all their eggs in one basket, Pirates could become a formidable force in Africa once more. The league will always be there, but the time has come for the Buccaneers to set their sights firmly on the continent—where their true legacy belongs.
The Buccaneers will have an opportunity to regain their confidence when they travel to Gqeberha to face Chippa United on Wednesday.
The Soweto giants’ ambitions are not expected to be watered down by external forces, and they will probably still give the remaining league games everything they have to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League again by finishing second.