Orlando Pirates legend Happy Jele sends blunt leadership warning to Nkosinathi Sibisi -'He needs to develop character'

Orlando Pirates icon Happy Jele has thrown his weight behind Nkosinathi Sibisi, but the former skipper hasn't held back in his assessment of what is required to lead the Soweto giants.

With the Buccaneers sitting two points behind Sundowns with just nine fixtures left, the focus has sharply shifted to the dressing room dynamics at Mayfair. Concerns have intensified amid growing unrest from the fanbase, who have become increasingly vocal in their dissatisfaction with the squad’s recent attitude and application.

Jele expressed his admiration for the defender while highlighting a perceived lack of grit during low moments.

"Sibisi is a brilliant player, I love him as a captain and watching him play football," Jele said as reported by IOL.

"For me, he just needs more character, because sometimes I feel he loses his character when things aren’t going well for him."

The Bucs legend insisted that a captain must transcend their own individual display for the good of the collective.

 "If he can have good character and be selfless, because sometimes as a leader you need to be selfless," he explained.

A recurring theme in Jele's advice was the need for Sibisi to stop internalising his own errors.

"Worry less about your performance but more about what you’re contributing to the team," he added.

"Football is a game of mistakes, and as a captain, there are a lot of things you can do wrong. But it’s not about you at the end of the day. So if he can try and minimize those mistakes, he could be fantastic."

Drawing parallels between Sibisi's temperament and his own during his playing days, Jele identified the current skipper as a 'silent leader'.

While some captains are known for being vocal and aggressive, Jele was famously more reserved, preferring to set the standard through his work rate and professionalism on the pitch.

"He’s a silent leader, he reminds me of myself in a way because I used to be silent and I’d rather show people with my actions," Jele remarked.

However, he warned that silence must not be mistaken for a lack of presence.

"He needs to develop that character because at the end of the day, there’s another ten people on the field that can help win the game."