Nkosinathi Sibisi will be looking to lead Orlando Pirates to victory over rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership clash on Saturday.
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Heroes and villains are created in the Soweto derby. That is why Nkosinathi Sibisi wants to continue defying the odds and etch his name in the history books of the fixture and Orlando Pirates Football Club.
Sibisi started the season viewed with different lenses at Pirates; the club hierarchy and his teammates appointed him to lead the team as captain – a responsibility he duly accepted.
While his responsibilities included being the face of the team on-and-off the pitch, Sibisi still needed to represent the club through game-time. However, that wasn’t to be – new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou preferred the combination of Mbkezeli Mbokaz and Lebone Seema at centre-back.
Sibisi had done well in his previous seasons with Pirates, which led Bafana coach Hugo Broos to still call him – and play him – at AFCON in December, even though the team disappointingly finished in the round of 16.
A double-edged sword arrived for Sibisi and Pirates late last year as Mbokazi was set to be lost to Chicago Fire from the start of the year, opening a vacancy which Sibisi has since filled alongside Seema in the heart of Pirates' defence.
Being a ‘playing captain’ had almost become a foreign concept at Pirates, with Sibisi’s predecessors, Innocent Maela and Happy Jele, both carrying out the leadership role largely from the bench or the stands. That’s why Sibisi has vowed to grab the opportunity with both hands.
“I have been in these kinds of situations before – the game-time was quite limited,” Sibisi recalled. “But I know that whenever I get a chance, I deliver. I still back myself in those types of situations, leading the team and keeping the boys calm.
“I remind them that we have the possibility of doing something big this season. So, let’s just give it our all, and not live with regrets.”
If Sibisi and his teammates continue to work hard, then they have a better chance of creating fond memories, instead of living through regrets.
Pirates are in the Betway Premiership title race this season, and they are looking the part as they are neck-and-neck with log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns on 38 points. Should they continue to find success until the end, Sibisi could become the first Pirates captain to hoist the league title in 14 seasons.
That’s why he believes that they have what it takes to return to winning ways decisively in the Soweto derby against arch-rivals Chiefs on Saturday at FNB Stadium, snapping their two-game losing streak.
“We have just been trying to manage the situation because we know that our supporters have high expectations. We, as players, have our own expectations,” the Bafana Bafana international explained. “So, we need to do what we’ve been doing – we can’t be a bad team overnight. These past two results don’t define who we are. I think we can do something special this season.”
Pirates have already done something special this season, winning two trophies, the MTN8 and Carling Knockout, while going on a 14-game unbeaten run in the league after a slow start. Hence, Sibisi has analysed how they have bounced back from slips before.
“It was harsh lessons,” Sibisi recalled. “In the first two games we lost, I don’t think we created enough chances, which is not the case now. We are creating chances, but we are just not converting.
“I am not, however, putting pressure on the boys, saying that they must now try something different. If they (the attackers) can’t score in open play, why can’t we (as defenders) help them during set-pieces? So, that’s what we’ve been saying all week.”
The Soweto derby doesn’t only offer Sibisi and company a chance to return to winning ways, but also to endear themselves to the Ghost, impressing in the spectacle and earning the country’s bragging rights. Sibisi knows this all too well.
“It’s a very special game to be part of. So, if you get an opportunity to play these kinds of games, you’ll be remembered in history,” Sibisi explained. “So, it’s a big one for the players, the club and the supporters as well. Even in homes, there’s a division among family members. So, it’s kind of special.
“It’s a game where you play to be remembered. You have to bring your A-game. If that’s the case, then there’s no room for regret. You don’t want to play this game anxious, not get the result, and then there’s regret afterwards. It’s a game to go all out and showcase your talent.”
*Mihlali Baleka is Independent Media's senior football reporter and a panelist on the group's soccer podcast, The D-Line, which is exclusive on our YouTube channel The Clutch