Orlando Pirates right-back Bandile Shandu has paid tribute to long-serving skipper Happy Jele, who left the club this week after 16 years spent with the Buccaneers.
The 27-year-old Shandu, who joined Pirates from Maritzburg United at the beginning of last season, thanked Jele for helping him settle in the team.
Shandu was speaking in Sandton, where Pirates revealed their new kit for the 2022/23 campaign, a jersey that also commemorates their 85th anniversary.
The right-back or winger had an excellent maiden season with Bucs, playing all 30 DStv Premiership matches, scoring two goals and providing one assist.
The roving defender was influential in helping Pirates reach the final of the 2021/22 Caf Confederation Cup, where they lost to Moroccan club RS Berkane. Shandu scored four goals in 12 matches in the Confed Cup run, and the former Maritzburg United player said much of the credit for that form goes to the advice he got from Jele.
“He was our pillar,” said Shandu of Jele, who has been linked with a move to Durban club Royal AM.
“He helped me personally in terms of settling in, especially because I came in to play in the position [right-back] he first played at Pirates.
“It was easy for me to connect with him and he told me everything I needed to do. He improved me as a player and as person, and I’m very, very grateful to have played alongside him. It was truly amazing and I’ll treasure that for the rest of my life.”
Shandu said the coming season is important and special in many ways to Bucs players as the club celebrates 85 years.
“We want to challenge for single cup we play in,” said Shandu. “We want to win it and that’s always been our mandate, and I think this season it’s even more important because of our 85th anniversary.
“We are going to work hard and make sure we actually give our fans something to celebrate.”
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