The Buccaneers coach is refusing to hit the panic button ahead of Saturday's crucial Betway Premiership derby against Amakhosi, insisting his side can still win the Betway Premiership title despite a brutal week of defeats that saw them crash out of the Nedbank Cup and cede ground to league title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Rockets had their hands tied in the market, leaving them unable to properly strengthen their squad. Their predicament was compounded by their status as a selling club, with key stars departing and no adequate replacements arriving. This left them vulnerable, but the problem has been fixed for them to add depth to their squad ahead of the more taxing part of the season.
The experienced star's performance is one of the reasons why Amakhosi have been solid at the back. However, his impressive run has been overshadowed by rumours surrounding his future, but now reports emerge that the club is keen to tie him down for a longer deal. Although the Glamour Boys exited two competitions in a span of days, the player has been a standout figure for the club.
Kgaogelo Sekgota completed his rehabilitation process and is back on the pitch with Siwelele FC whose head coach Lehlohonolo Seema has praised the winger's progress and emphasised mental fitness as the priority in his ongoing recovery.
After engaging in the Nedbank Cup campaign, teams turned their focus to the Premier Soccer League campaign. Orlando Pirates widened the gap at the top with a win over Marumo Gallants, while Babina Noko's result affected Amakhosi and Mamelodi Sundowns, who were focused on their respective CAF campaigns. At the other end of the table, the relegation battle is heating up.
It was Amakhosi's maiden participation in the group stage of this continental inter-club competition after successfully navigating through the preliminary round. But they came so close to getting a ticket to the quarter-finals and in the end were unable. The Naturena outfit needed just a draw to reach the knockouts, but a defeat to the White Knight saw Al Masry beat them to the ticket courtesy of a superior goal difference.
The Soweto giants have been knocked out of continental competition and will now shift their full attention to domestic duties. Their exit means only one tournament remains to fight for this season after falling short in three major trophy bids. With continental ambitions over, the focus turns to salvaging pride and success on the local front.
The Buccaneers' bid to win the title received a massive boost after their closest rivals suffered a defeat. On the other hand, the Glamour Boys' dream of defending it was hit with a blow after yet another defeat. With the title race campaign gaining momentum, the Sea Robbers enjoy a five-point advantage as rivals sweat trying to catch up.
Players from Amakhosi have found it increasingly difficult to break into the national team setup in recent years. Not a single player from the Soweto giants featured in the South Africa squad for the last two AFCON editions, underlining the widening gap between the club and their PSL rivals, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, who dominate Hugo Broos' side. That absence has raised concerns that performance standards at Amakhosi may have dipped compared to previous eras.
The Glamour Boys recovered from a poor start in Group D to come into the fixture at Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia with a good chance to progress but succumbed 2-1 to the White Knight and were eliminated from the competition. It was a result that did not sit well with Brian Baloyi who lashed out at the club's management.
Although much has been expected from the 22-year-old, he has ended up attracting more criticism than praise. After wasting quite a number of chances against Stellenbosch in a Nedbank Cup encounter, his performance was again negatively scrutinised. But there is hope for the South African star; he has been tipped to become a top goal scorer and even a dependable Bafana asset.
As Amakhosi players chase titles on the pitch, their supporters have been reminded of their cardinal role and warned against following what others do. The Bafana Bafana legend has explained why the fans should not be so negative against the players and said the fans need to be responsible.
Although it is their first participation in this competition, the Soweto giants swept past preliminary opponents to reach the group stage. Now, they are a touching distance from the quarter-finals, as they are set for the final group game, sitting top of the table. A draw will be enough for Amakhosi, but if they are defeated, they will rely on ZESCO United to beat or hold Al Masry.
Amakhosi will face the Egyptian heavyweights, knowing that at least a draw will guarantee them a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals. It will not be easy though, as The White Knights need a win too, to book their place in the knockout rounds. The two heavyweights of their respective countries do battle in Ismailia, Egypt on Valentine's Day.
Amakhosi will face the Egyptian heavyweights, knowing that at least a draw can help them reach the quarter-finals. Three back-to-back wins should act as a morale booster for the Soweto giants, who are also on top of the table before the do-or-die clash on Valentine's Day. If ZESCO United manage to hold Al Masry to a draw, that will be a positive outcome for Chiefs, as they will automatically advance to the next phase regardless of the result of their own game.
It has now been revealed that the Soweto giants were keen to sign the fullback but were beaten by their rivals from Pretoria. After establishing himself as a top defender at his former club, the South African talent became a subject of intense transfer pursuit from big clubs. He finally moved to the Tshwane Giants, where he is yet to become a regular starter.
The former Cape Town City striker realised his dream of donning the famous Black and Gold jersey at the beginning of the season. The Bafana Bafana forward is among the experienced heads at the Soweto giants who are aiming at pushing for both the domestic and continental glory in the ongoing edition. But with injuries and lack of goals hampering his impact, the possibility of being returned to his parent club looms nearer.
The Glamour Boys make a trip to Egypt for a critical CAF inter-club competition against the White Knight. Amakhosi have won their last three games in the pool, explaining why they come into the fixture full of confidence. However, the hosts will not want another defeat at home following their loss to ZESCO United recently.
The Tunisian came on board at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, poised to help the Glamour Boys realise their potential. However, just after a year later, he was shown the door by the unforgiving Amakhosi management despite helping the Soweto giants end their decade-long trophy drought. The club explains why his deputies were spared.
The Bafana Bafana international has not had it easy with the Glamour Boys' supporters since the elimination from the domestic competition. He has been a target of a section of the fans, especially on social media, for failing to take the opportunities created, which, in the end, cost the team dearly.
Amakhosi's team manager has addressed fan frustrations with the club's lack of activity in the mid-season transfer window by claiming they needed to protect team harmony and pointing out they have off-season transfer recruits who are yet to feature in the Black and Gold.
The Amakhosi goalkeeping department seems to have stabilised together with the defence, making it difficult for opponents to breach the Soweto giants. That solidity at the back is expected to make the Glamour Boys strong, giving them a chance of winning at least a piece of silverware this 2025/26 season.
The Amakhosi and Bafana Bafana legend was speaking as a club ambassador at their Carling Black Label partnership launch when he dismissed suggestions that any side that beats The Brazilians to the title when the team is in turmoil will not have the right to believe they are the best team in the country.
The Glamour Boys, who were the defending champions, just couldn't get past Stellenbosch in the initial hurdle after falling 2-1 a couple of days ago. However, big guns like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates - who are chasing a treble- are still in the annual tournament, hoping to go all the way.
As Amakhosi endure a low rate of conversion of created chances into goals, the 22-year-old found himself on the receiving end of criticism for clear opportunities missed against Stellies. The wasted chances proved costly for the Soweto giants as they dropped from the competition and lost a trophy they won last season. Given that Chiefs are hunting for trophies, Shabalala, as one of the playmakers, needs to improve and help the team achieve their ambitions.
The Glamour Boys return to Egypt for yet another continental test against former champions in the CAF inter-club tournament. The Soweto Giants began their group stage campaign with a loss to Al Masry, but this time around, they will be in the North African country as a motivated team, as they top the table.
Siwelele
