Orlando Pirates striker Tshegofatso Mabasa is adamant that Jwaneng Galaxy coach Morena Ramoreboli’s familiarity with several Bucs players will count for nothing when the two sides clash.
Mabasa, Sipho Chaine, Kabelo Dlamini and Monnapule Saleng have all worked with Ramoreboli before. Ramoreboli coached Mabasa, Chaine and Dlamini at Bloemfontein Celtic’s development ranks, while he worked with Saleng when he freelanced as Bafana Bafana Cosafa Cup mentor in 2021.
Speaking to Sowetan two weeks ago, the Galaxy coach suggested that knowing these Pirates players could be advantageous for him when the two teams clash in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round, where the first leg is billed for Botswana National Stadium on Saturday (4pm). The second fixture is at Orlando Stadium the following Saturday.
However, Mabasa doubts Ramoreboli’s “knowledge” of some of the Pirates players can have any bearing on the clash. Galaxy eliminated Pirates from the same phase of the Champions League last season.
“He (Ramolebodi) is a coach I know quite well and he knows me as a player. But this is a completely different phase, I have grown as a player. There are a lot more tactics involved,” Mabasa said at Orlando’s Job Rathebe Junior Secondary School, where Pirates, courtesy of being the Nedbank Cup champions, handed over a multi-purpose sports court to the school on Monday.
“The game won’t be the way that he expects it to be. You can study all you want but what happens on the day is entirely up to the players themselves and tactics on the day. So, we are not worried about that (that Ramoleboli knows some of them as Pirates players), we will go out there and give it our all.”
Mabasa painted a picture that they were hell-bent on leaving a mark in the Champions League this season, starting their mission against Galaxy on Saturday.
“Going to the game, we are very motivated because as I have always said before, this club deserves to play in the Champions League every season. Not only playing there but to compete and that is exactly what we are going out there to do this coming weekend. It will be a difficult encounter but we are well prepared for it,” Mabasa stated.
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Familiarity won’t count when we meet Jwaneng – Mabasa
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Image: Veli Nhlapo
Orlando Pirates striker Tshegofatso Mabasa is adamant that Jwaneng Galaxy coach Morena Ramoreboli’s familiarity with several Bucs players will count for nothing when the two sides clash.
Mabasa, Sipho Chaine, Kabelo Dlamini and Monnapule Saleng have all worked with Ramoreboli before. Ramoreboli coached Mabasa, Chaine and Dlamini at Bloemfontein Celtic’s development ranks, while he worked with Saleng when he freelanced as Bafana Bafana Cosafa Cup mentor in 2021.
Speaking to Sowetan two weeks ago, the Galaxy coach suggested that knowing these Pirates players could be advantageous for him when the two teams clash in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round, where the first leg is billed for Botswana National Stadium on Saturday (4pm). The second fixture is at Orlando Stadium the following Saturday.
However, Mabasa doubts Ramoreboli’s “knowledge” of some of the Pirates players can have any bearing on the clash. Galaxy eliminated Pirates from the same phase of the Champions League last season.
“He (Ramolebodi) is a coach I know quite well and he knows me as a player. But this is a completely different phase, I have grown as a player. There are a lot more tactics involved,” Mabasa said at Orlando’s Job Rathebe Junior Secondary School, where Pirates, courtesy of being the Nedbank Cup champions, handed over a multi-purpose sports court to the school on Monday.
“The game won’t be the way that he expects it to be. You can study all you want but what happens on the day is entirely up to the players themselves and tactics on the day. So, we are not worried about that (that Ramoleboli knows some of them as Pirates players), we will go out there and give it our all.”
Mabasa painted a picture that they were hell-bent on leaving a mark in the Champions League this season, starting their mission against Galaxy on Saturday.
“Going to the game, we are very motivated because as I have always said before, this club deserves to play in the Champions League every season. Not only playing there but to compete and that is exactly what we are going out there to do this coming weekend. It will be a difficult encounter but we are well prepared for it,” Mabasa stated.
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