ORLANDO Pirates captain Lucky Lekgwathi, who turns 36 on August 1, is putting retirement on hold for the African Champions League.
The Buccaneers qualified for the 2013 Champions League after defending their Absa Premiership title with a 4-2 win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Saturday.
Lekgwathi made history by becoming the first captain in the Premier Soccer League to win six trophies in two successive seasons.
In the 2010-11 season Pirates won the treble, clinching the MTN8, Nedbank Cup and league championship. In this recently ended Premiership season they added the league title to the MTN8 and the Telkom Knockout.
"It's a great honour for me to be the captain of the Pirates squad that won a second successive treble. I will relish it for the rest of my life," said Lekgwathi.
"It was tough for all the clubs this season but we succeeded because we worked as a team. It is unfortunate we could not successfully defend the Nedbank Cup (the final of which is on Saturday between Supersport and Sundowns).
"I'm so happy that I have achieved a lot with Pirates as a player, but I will not consider retirement before winning the African Champions League with the club.
"I also want to go to the Fifa Club World Cup." The African champions have the right to play in that competition. "We did not do well in the Champions League this year because most of our players were engaged in many competitions."
Lekgwathi joined Pirates in 2002 after the demise of Ria Stars and won the league with them in his first season, coinciding with the club's 65th anniversary celebrations.
Lekgwathi not bowing out yet
ORLANDO Pirates captain Lucky Lekgwathi, who turns 36 on August 1, is putting retirement on hold for the African Champions League.
The Buccaneers qualified for the 2013 Champions League after defending their Absa Premiership title with a 4-2 win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Saturday.
Lekgwathi made history by becoming the first captain in the Premier Soccer League to win six trophies in two successive seasons.
In the 2010-11 season Pirates won the treble, clinching the MTN8, Nedbank Cup and league championship. In this recently ended Premiership season they added the league title to the MTN8 and the Telkom Knockout.
"It's a great honour for me to be the captain of the Pirates squad that won a second successive treble. I will relish it for the rest of my life," said Lekgwathi.
"It was tough for all the clubs this season but we succeeded because we worked as a team. It is unfortunate we could not successfully defend the Nedbank Cup (the final of which is on Saturday between Supersport and Sundowns).
"I'm so happy that I have achieved a lot with Pirates as a player, but I will not consider retirement before winning the African Champions League with the club.
"I also want to go to the Fifa Club World Cup." The African champions have the right to play in that competition. "We did not do well in the Champions League this year because most of our players were engaged in many competitions."
Lekgwathi joined Pirates in 2002 after the demise of Ria Stars and won the league with them in his first season, coinciding with the club's 65th anniversary celebrations.