Why Orlando Pirates to win the PSL is a catchable bet
It’s been a case of always the bridesmaids and never the bride in recent years for Orlando Pirates. However, it appears that their 12-year wait for a PSL title may come to an end this term. It wouldn’t be ill-advised to back the Sowetan giants to lift the PSL trophy at 14.80 odds, the first to do so under its new iteration as the Betway Premiership.
Our Betting Tip: Orlando Pirates to win the Betway Premiership @ 14.80 with Betway
- Less disruption to the squad
- Too many changes to the champions
- Edging closer every year
Keeping the core
Head coach, Jose Riveiro was ruthless in the off-season with ageing and non-performing players. Kermit Erasmus, Thabang Monare, Richard Ofori, Siyabonga Mpontshane, Fortune Makaringe, Souaibou Marou, Vincent Pule, and Bongani Sam have all departed the Sowetan giants.
Pirates have a decent core of players that the coach feels he can trust. He added some crucial talent to the squad to offer strength in depth, something they need if they’re to compete in continental football as well this term. New additions such as Gilberto, Thuso Moleleki, and Deano van Rooyen, among others, will no doubt improve the squad and with that, hopefully help the Buccaneers better last season’s league finish.
Changes galore at the champions
Perhaps, Pirates’ chances of winning this season’s league title have more to do with the incumbent champions’ form rather than their own. While Mamelodi Sundowns registered their seventh consecutive league title last season, they’ve made wholesale changes that are already proving chaotic.
Masandawana parted ways with Rhulani Mokoena and brought in Manqoba Mngqithi as his primary replacement. The problem with the champions’ setup is the number of ‘head coaches’ they have sitting on the bench to assist Mngqithi.
Former Swallows boss, Steve Komphela and ex-Amazulu coach Romain Folz along with Wendell Robinson and Kennedy Mweene make up the technical team at the Brazilians. It’s clear from their first few competitive fixtures that the players haven’t quite adopted the tactics that these coaches are employing.
Mngqithi is in a place all too familiar as previously he was demoted from the head coach role after suffering defeat in the MTN 8 semi-final, just like he did recently against Stellenbosch. Back then, Mngqithi and Komphela served as coaches with Mokoena leading the team to great success.
Of their three matches in the MTN 8, Sundowns won only once, needing extra time to see off Polokwane City in the quarter-final.
As a result, it appears that this season will be a troubled one for the Tshwane outfit, something that Orlando Pirates can capitalise on by heading for the Betway Premiership title.
Getting closer
The past two seasons have seen Amabakabaka finish the league season as runners-up to Sundowns. Fans believe that this is it for the Sea Robbers and their early form suggests so.
They’ve made a decent start to the season and are yet to taste defeat. Riveiro’s already steered his troops to another cup final in the MTN 8, hoping to become the first team to win the tournament three years on the bounce.
There isn’t a better time for Pirates to make a serious challenge for the title and with the odds on offer for them to lift the trophy, it’s an attractive proposition.