Tyson tells Pule to stay cool in Orlando Pirates cauldron

SuperSport United captain Thulani ‘Tyson’ Hlatshwayo says he has spoken to Vincent Pule about the hostile reception he is likely to receive, if he takes the field at Orlando Stadium for Matsatsantsa’s MTN8 quarterfinal against Orlando Pirates on Saturday.

Hlatshwayo joined SuperSport after leaving Pirates in 2022, so knows a bit about returning to take on the Buccaneers. Pule was snapped up by SuperSport as a free agent this sason, having been released after six seasons at Pirates.

Hlatshwayo and Pule also previously played together under SuperSport coach Gaivn Hunt at the now-defunct Bidvest Wits.

‘There will be emotions’

“I have been speaking to Pule and said to him not to put it in his head. Once he goes on the field there will be emotions, it is just for us not to listen to the intimidation,” said Hlatshwayo.

“They (the fans) will probably be swearing at him, but he must just make sure he does what he is there for, and what we have seen from him in training.”

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro, meanwhile, has urged his players to put past accolades behind them, as they focus on a new season.

Pirates are coming off another successful campaign, which saw them win both the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup for a second successive year. Pirates’ players also picked up individual awards, including Relebohile Mofokeng getting Young Player of the Season and Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi winning the Players’ Player of the Season Award.

“We start from zero, all of us,” said Riveiro this week, responding to a question specifically about Maswanganyi.

“For the coach, the players and the team, we start on zero points and we are in the quarterfinals (of the MTN8). Memory in football is very short, it is all about the next game and that is where the players must be, ‘Tito,’ and everyone around him, we are trying to build a competitive team to fight for each and every title.”