Former Orlando Pirates winger Mark Mayambela didn’t hold back after his old team suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune United in their league opener.
Despite the buzz around the Buccaneers’ fresh start under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou — who brought in 12 new players this season — the result has left fans and pundits scratching their heads.
High Hopes Dashed After Early Promise
Earlier in the month, Orlando Pirates seemed to be heading in the right direction.
Their convincing 2-0 win over Polokwane City in the MTN8 competition gave supporters reason to believe the team could bounce back this season.
But a home defeat to Babina Noko, right on their own turf, has raised some serious questions about the squad’s readiness and mindset.
Mayambela Calls Out Lack of Professionalism
Mayambela, now retired, expressed his disappointment in how the Pirates performed during the game.
Speaking to SoccerBeat, he didn’t mince words: “Trying isn’t enough.
Just trying won’t close the gap between us and the league leaders, especially when you’re competing against teams that have dominated the league for years.”
He went on to say, “What’s missing is personality and professionalism.
Sometimes, it feels like some players are more interested in making flashy moves for TikTok or social media than actually focusing on the game. For me, that’s just not good enough.”
Back to Basics: Mayambela’s Advice for the Buccaneers
The former midfielder believes that Orlando Pirates need to return to the fundamentals — focusing on the qualities that brought the club success in the past.
He emphasized that players must be fully committed on the pitch and not distracted by outside distractions like social media content creation.
Can Orlando Pirates Still Challenge for the Title?
The big question now is whether the Pirates can recover from this shaky start and realistically challenge for the league crown this season.
What do you think? Are they still in the running, or is it time for serious changes?