When the 2024-25 DStv Premiership season gets under way, Orlando Pirates will have their sights firmly fixed on securing the league title.
That was the message from their players at the launch of their new adidas playing kit on Monday.
The new kit was launched at Orlando Stadium, the home of the Buccaneers.
More significantly, the new jersey pays tribute to the founding father of Soweto, James Sofasonke Mpanza.
Born in 1889, he was instrumental in forming Orlando Pirates in 1937.
His vision and leadership laid the foundation for what has become one of the most successful and beloved football clubs in South Africa.
Three players - Dean Hotto, Makhehleni Makhaula, and Thabiso Monyane - paraded the new jersey and spoke highly of the new kit.
“It’s black, it’s strong. It’s a powerful jersey and the traditional black is back again,” said Hotto.
Pirates will start the season as defending champions of the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup.
“To be honest with you, defending the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup is not a problem. For us, the major ones are the league and the CAF Champions League. That’s it, the other two we don’t have a problem with,” Hotto said.
“The talk (during pre-season) was mostly about the league and the Champions League. That’s what we want to go for because the other domestic cups we know how to win those ones,” said Hotto, who added that it was the coach’s “project” to win the league as he enters his third season with the Buccaneers.
“We are there as players to support the coach and the technical staff. There is pressure everywhere and it doesn’t matter where you are. We also want to win the league for ourselves, for the supporters, and for the chairman,” Hotto said, adding that the Buccaneers will aim to occupy first place from the start of the season to the finish.
“The only thing we have to do differently is consistency, and the most important thing is to start very well. To be honest, we really don’t start well but we finish well,” he said.
Pirates went to Spain for pre-season, where they competed against Qatari champions Al-Sadd, Spanish clubs Granada and Sevilla, as well as English club Plymouth Argyle.
They are set to get the season under way on 3 August.
“What I took out of the camp (in Spain) is that it’s all about the formations the coach want to use in the new season. It (the camp) was not about results. There is a lot that we took out of that camp… The team is heading in the right direction,” said Hotto.
Success is earned. This is Pirates 🖤
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) July 22, 2024
Introducing Orlando Pirates 24/25 home and away jersey
⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OnceAlways #OrlandoPirates pic.twitter.com/jrmaLniRFS