Lions to use Bucs 'biggest game' to hunt sponsors

Second tier's Hungry Lions, founded and owned by Orlando Pirates staunch supporter Stefaans Basie, and coached by his ardent Kaizer Chiefs follower nephew Henry Basie, aim to use their Nedbank Cup clash against Bucs to market themselves to potential sponsors.

This was revealed by Henry ahead of tomorrow's Ke Yona Cup last 16 showdown with Pirates at Orlando Stadium (6pm). The Lions mentor also told of how his 63-year-old uncle, Stefaans, designated him to juggle coaching the team with overseeing the day-to-day operation of the club, quipping that he'd soon be the team's bus driver as people in the community have already started likening him to Jomo Sono for the reason that he's multitasking. 

"I am a Khosi for life. I grew up liking Chiefs and I still have a soft spot for them. Ironically, my uncle [Stefaans] is a Pirates fan, hence we also play in black... he copied Pirates because he's their die-hard fan. We are very happy that we will be playing against Pirates. It will be the biggest game in the club's history,'' Henry told Sowetan yesterday.

"We are a self-funded team and we mostly rely on the PSL grant to run the team. Our provincial government [the Northern Cape] also helps us sometimes but without sponsors it's not easy to really fulfil our ambitions. So, we will be going to Orlando to make sure we fight, we play our best football, hoping to attract people who can come on board and help financially, so that we reach new heights."

The 43-year-old Henry, who played under Stefaans when the team was still in the amateur ranks, told how he ended up being "Jomo Sono" at Lions, while his uncle serves in an advisory role.

"My uncle founded this team when he was still working at Transnet in the '80s. I was a player then. He saw that I loved football and mentored me bit by bit. I started to take coaching seriously when we started campaigning in the ABC Motsepe League. When we won the promotion to the NFD in the 2020/21 season, my uncle decided to take a back seat and gave the reins to me,'' Henry said.

"I was always that hard-working kid at home, cleaning the yard and all that, so my uncle loved that, hence he trusted that I'd do well in running the team. We have a proper structure...so it's not really one man's show. We have a financial officer, we have a manager but because I oversee everything, people here [in Postmasburg] say I am Jomo. Maybe I must drive the bus as well. The chairman is still behind me but now more like an adviser."

Pirates will be without Thabiso Lebitso, who is suspended by defender Nkosinathi Sibisi must also be careful as he's on three yellow cards.