Ncikazi apologizes for Pirates’ unsuccessful season

Orlando Pirates coach Mandla Ncikazi has apologised for the club’s failure to lift any silverware and after not being able to qualify for any Caf club competitions next season.

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Pirates were left with an egg on their face after they failed to qualify for both the Caf Champions League and the Caf Confederation Cup after registering one win, one draw and one loss in their last three DStv Premiership matches.

After losing the final of the Confed Cup 5-4 against RS Berkane on penalties, the Buccaneers were left with three league fixtures to win in order to finish the season as runners-up, which they failed to do after playing their second last game to a 2-2 draw with Royal AM.

Things got worse when they needed to win by a five goal margin in order to go back to the Confed Cup, which they failed to do as they ended up losing 2-0 to SuperSport United with skipper Happy Jele getting a red card in their last game of the season.

“Disappointing results. Fans of Orlando Pirates and management don’t deserve this. Just to sum it up. I think the result summed up a very unsuccessful season for the team and one just has to apologise for such a season,” said Ncikazi.

“There is no justification of anything if you try to go to the match and justify what happened. But also, I don’t think we were a bad team, though we created better chances, but the outcome is different. So that’s why I don’t want to even go there, we just have to take out what we can after we lose the match.”

The Soweto giants finished the campaign in sixth place after only managing to collect 44 points. The last time Pirates did not compete in Caf club competitions was back in the 2016/2017 season after finishing in 11th place.