Leopards ready for Africa

BLACK Leopards don't believe their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup next year will distract them from their quest to retain their status in the top flight.

Leopards and Orlando Pirates are the only two South African sides that have registered to compete in the two Confederation of African Football club competitions. Pirates will play in the African Champions League.

Leopards chairman David Thidiela said they were looking forward to making their debut in a continental club competition despite being under relegation pressure.

"It's a great honour for us to participate in a CAF competition," he said.

"We have been doing well in the league but the problem has been our failure to score goals, which is why we are planning to look for quality strikers during the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals break.

"The word relegation does not exist in our vocabulary."

Leopards will pin their hopes on players like Thabo Mongalo, Rodney Ramagalela and Raymond Monama.

Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza has made it clear to coach Julio Leal that he wants the Champions League to be one of the new trophies in the Bucs cabinet next season.

Pirates have experienced players like Benni McCarthy and Lucky Lekgwathi who could help the South Africans conquer the continent for a second time.

Pirates qualified for the Champions League after winning the Premiership title last season, while Leopards reached the final of the Nedbank Cup where they lost to the Bucs.

Pirates had to choose between the two competitions as winners of the league and Ke Yona but opted for the more lucrative Champions League, which they won in 1995.