...By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Over the weekend, Orlando Pirates earned their spot in the Nedbank Cup final by defeating their rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, in a 2-1 win at FNB Stadium.
Kermit Erasmus, who has been a significant member of the Pirates team this season, played a critical role in the victory by scoring the opening goal.
Erasmus’ Unique Perspective on the Game
Erasmus spoke about his perspective on the game, which differs from most other players.
He said that he thinks four steps in advance and looks before he moves.
Rather than moving for the sake of it, he coaches his teammates to avoid moving in each other’s spaces.
He attributes this perspective to coming through a youth academy with a partnership with Feyenoord in The Netherlands, which allowed him to think differently about the game.
Erasmus believes that football is all about manipulating spaces, and he tries to see where the space is on the field to encourage his teammates to move into dangerous areas that could hurt the opposition and create scoring chances.
When things aren’t going according to plan on the field, he becomes a positive voice for his teammates, helping them to understand what’s expected of them as players for the club and making sure they don’t doubt themselves.
Soweto Derby
Erasmus also commented on the Soweto Derby, describing it as a special game on its own, with sometimes as many as 94,000 people in the stadium if it’s sold out, making communication on the field difficult because of the noise.
He noted that communicating with your eyes can be just as important as communicating verbally and that players always have to make sure they’re okay visually by looking at each other on the field and supporting each other.
Upcoming Games
Pirates will be back in action on Saturday, facing Sekhukhune in a tantalizing clash.
As things stand, Pirates are well-placed to finish second this season, and Erasmus will be hoping to continue his impressive form.
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