Jele praises Maela's captaincy at Bucs

Former Orlando Pirates skipper Happy Jele doesn’t feel any tinge of envy for his successor Innocent Maela and the entire club after winning two cups in the form of the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup in the first season without him.

Jele left Pirates before the start of the just ended season, having spent 16 years at the club. The 36-year-old defender had a successful stint at the Buccaneers, winning an impressive eight trophies that include two league titles.

However, under Jele’s captaincy, that started from 2018 until last year June when he departed, Pirates only clinched the 2020’s edition of the MTN8. The lad from Middelburg in Mpumalanga, who’s now a Royal AM player, has reiterated he’s not jealous that Maela and the Sea Robbers had a productive season after his exit. 

“I am happy for Innocent and what he has been achieving for the team. I knew him as a young boy from Mpumalanga [in Witbank] until he joined the team. We communicate all the time to help him grow,” Jele said at a Carling Black Label Cup event in Braamfontein on Sunday.

“I won trophies at Pirates. If it’s not your time, it’s not your time to win trophies as a captain. I don’t mind when people say I was blocking the success of the team because I know that I did my best in that team. I lost some cups and I also won some. The new team that came and won two trophies... they did well in the league by finishing second as well, that’s very good for the club.”

Jele also said what makes him happier about Pirates’ success is that he imparted his knowledge to some of the current squad players before departing. “I am happy for them because some of the boys who are part of the current squad, I taught them a lot of things. Seeing them winning things while I am not in that space, makes me feel fulfilled.”