Deano van Rooyen Orlando Pirates players (from left) Makhehleni Makhaula, Deano van Rooyen and Relebohile Mofokeng are a big part of the history-chasing side. | ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media
Image: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media
ORLANDO Pirates are riding a high wave at the moment, and with the Royal AM shenanigans opening a shot at a rare quadruple, their supporters are rubbing their hands in anticipation of their greatest season.
Chasing a quadruple, though, comes with challenges, and the biggest one is player-load management, as that means they will chase every cup down to the final whistle.
As things stand, Pirates have so far this season played more games than any other team in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), and on top of that, they are facing the toughest end to the season as well.
As of their last outing, the Nedbank Cup semi-final win over Marumo Gallants on Sunday, Pirates have played 41 games – 20 in the Premiership, 12 in the CAF Champions League, four in the MTN8, another four in the Nedbank Cup and one in the Carling Knockout Cup.
Talk of a Pirates quadruple began last week after news broke that Royal AM will be expelled from the PSL, after their well documented downfall.
From Royal AM, Sundowns took three points, while Pirates had not played the struggling KwaZulu-Natal outfit this season.
It is still a long shot, but should Premiership log leaders Sundowns lose the three points gained against Royal AM, the gap between them and Pirates will be minimised to nine – leaving the league title to go either way, provided the Buccaneers win all their remaining games.
They already have the MTN8 title in the bag, and they are in the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face Pyramids FC of Egypt, home and away – starting on Saturday at FNB Stadium (6pm kick-off).
To go for it all, as they aim to give their outgoing coach Jose Riveiro a perfect send-off, Pirates’ technical team will have to have a very special player-load management strategy.
One player, although not from the Pirates bloodline, who has been in almost a similar situation is Siyanda Zwane, who won the Premiership and Champions League with Sundowns in 2016 before playing in the Fifa Club World Cup the same year.
Zwane, now retired, says there are two keys to achieving a fresh squad to chase everything.
“Nothing beats resting and eating well for the players. The conditioning people will obviously give players resting and diet plans to follow. As a player, you will have to follow that plan and be strict with yourself,” said Zwane, who hails from Pietermaritzburg.
“After a match, the body needs a minimum of 48 hours of uninterrupted rest to fully recover from fatigue.
“Now with travelling, it may be more. You therefore, as a player, do not need to add more strain to your body by gallivanting in malls.
“You cannot go to a club and dance the night away in the midst of that schedule – unless of course, you are not serious about what you are doing, and it will show.”
That advice alone is for the players, but what about the technical team?
“With coaches, it comes down to squad rotation. That one is also tricky and requires squad depth,” Zwane said.
“Teams that have two or three players in the (one) position are on the right side of things, but then again, there is always a question of match fitness.
“But coaches will do their thing their way, and you as a player have to play your part the best way possible.
“I mean, if the European-based players are doing it: why shouldn’t we be able to?”
Pirates’ Premiership fixture against SuperSport United, initially scheduled for Friday, has been postponed indefinitely due to their hosting of Pyramids FC in the semi-final first leg at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The second leg will be played in Cairo on Friday April 25 (8pm).
