Ghost of seasons past: Can the Orlando Pirates avoid another late-season collapse?

There are words that inspire belief at Orlando Pirates, and then there are words that invite danger. “Quadruple” sits firmly in the latter category.

Pirates are once again flirting with history. While success has become familiar in recent seasons, the weight of expectation has never felt heavier. With two trophies already secured and more within reach, the conversation has shifted from progress to possibility—a transition the club knows can derail even the most promising campaign.

The Sea Robbers have already lifted the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout this season. They sit at the summit of the Betway Premiership and remain contenders in the Nedbank Cup. On paper, this puts them in rare territory, chasing a feat no South African club has ever achieved. But paper does not remember pain — Pirates do.

Last season offered a harsh lesson in how quickly ambition can turn into anguish. Under José Riveiro, who departed at the end of that campaign, Pirates were similarly alive on multiple fronts, competing across all major competitions deep into the term.

Instead, it unraveled. They were knocked out of the CAF Champions League semi-finals by Pyramids, fell short in the league race against Mamelodi Sundowns, and suffered a painful defeat to Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup final. A season that promised a legacy ended instead with reflection and regret.

That collapse does not erase Riveiro’s impact. Across his tenure, he delivered five trophies and restored belief to a club that had drifted for years. His Pirates were disciplined, composed, and mentally resilient — until the noise of expectation became too loud to ignore.

That context makes the current “quadruple” narrative uncomfortable. Under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, Pirates have shown continuity rather than reinvention. The structure remains, belief is intact, and results suggest a group shaped by past disappointment. They are winning in different ways, managing pressure more effectively, and displaying a ruthlessness previously missing.

Still, knockout football is unforgiving. League races are relentless. And history has a habit of resurfacing when least invited. The real danger for Pirates is not a lack of quality, but the temptation to protect a narrative instead of executing a process. When players begin to fear loss more than they pursue performance, the margins disappear.

Ouaddou’s greatest challenge will not be tactical, but psychological. His task is to mute the noise, narrow the focus, and ensure ambition does not become a burden. Pirates do not need to chase the quadruple; they need to chase the next pass, the next duel, and the next result.

The last time the dream of a historic haul grew louder than the football itself, Pirates woke up to a season defined not by what they won—but by what slipped away.