"Gabuza needs help"

Augusto Palacios – Orlando Pirates head of development: “What I like the most about Gabuza is that he’s a fighter and a hard worker. It is very difficult to mark him because he always takes the de- fence away from their positions, creating spaces for his teammates. He’s just been unlucky when it comes to scoring and that happens to anyone. Yes, what he did was wrong but, in the meantime, the supporters go to the stadium to motivate and support their players, not to boo them. That is wrong and we have to learn from the international standards. South Africans need to change this thing of the supporters wanting to shout at the players. It is wrong, it is very wrong! Gabuza is a good player and he needs help and the support of everyone. He is a national team player, but he can’t play well when things like booing happen. Even in the game against Black Leopards, he created the own goal that gave Pirates the lead. He was just emotional when he took his shirt off and walked off the pitch. Yes, that was wrong of him, but the supporters also need to help the players instead of booing them. I believe he is a good player and that he will get the goals. Ga- buza can fight more than any other player in the Pirates team. He’s a respectful guy who always gives you 100% effort and commitment. Like I said, he works hard and he also loves Pirates. I really hope he will bounce back from that bad experience and that we all learned from it.”

Former Bafana Bafana striker “Look, two wrongs don’t make a right. Gabuza’s conduct was totally unacceptable on the night! Throwing a team jersey to the supporters, in protest of their booing, and going on to provoke the supporters is totally wrong. What if the supporters reacted to what he was doing and saying to them? Can you imagine how bad things could have been if the supporters were to throw missiles at him? Having said that, his behaviour doesn’t make the supporters right either for the bad treatment they gave him. Supporters don’t have the right to boo the players. They have a right to criticise, but they must allow players to play the game. Allow the players to prove themselves on the field instead of booing them. The boy needs help and support, not to be booed by his own supporters. I know there was a scoring chance that Gabuza didn’t capitalise on and that got the supporters’ backs up. In the process, that didn’t help his confidence and there’s really not much you can do on the field without confidence. He took a wrong decision and wanted to take a shot when all he needed was to take an extra touch, as he still had time. What he did is a very serious offence that is punishable. Not only Pirates must take action a g a i n s t him but the league and SAFA as well. That was a very bad example he showed there, especially to young players and we don’t need that.”

Botha Msila – Bloemfontein Celtic supporter “Something isn’t right with Gabuza. What he did was uncalled for in terms of the relationship we have with the players. When someone differs with you, it doesn’t mean they hate you. As supporters, we differ with you because we’re expecting something from you and we know you’re potential. It becomes difficult for me, as a supporter, when you insult me in- stead of understanding my frustration. What Gabuza did simply means he was telling us that he doesn’t care about the supporters. We have been supporting him since he was a young boy and then he throws everything back into our faces? There are sponsors and the league to consider here, if he doesn’t care about the supporters. Throwing the team’s jersey to the supporters was an insult and he must never do that again. There are so many people who died for that jersey for it to be disrespected like that. We have also been trying to tell our people to learn from Bloemfontein Celtic supporters for years. We have to be the 12th player on the field and that means rallying behind your team and individual players through thick and thin. The section of the supporters who abused Gabuza on the night was also wrong. You can’t boo a player while he’s still playing. I mean, he’s trying to win something for you and you decide to boo him? He needs help, not boos. You can’t tell me Gabuza missed those chances deliberately. He also wanted to score and win for the club. So both Gabuza and the supporters were totally wrong. We both failed the game on the night. Let’s stop this thing of telling coaches what to do; our job is to support the team. Once again, the supporters who did that, I’m so disappointed in you, my members. We need to understand our role at the stadium, guys. Gabuza did his part and apologised, now let those supporters go back and apologise.”

Orlando Pirates chair- man, Dr Irvin Khoza, also broke his silence on the incident, as quoted by IOL Sport. “Gabuza is a special player. He is a team player. He makes the team laugh with his jokes. Gabuza is hardworking and he loves the club. There’s some- thing special about the boy and that’s why I’m on his side. He’s like Senzo Meyiwa. Gabuza will never give you attitude. He is a nice boy. Even if he is not in the 18-man team, you will find him at training, working hard as if he is part of the matchday squad. That’s how passionate the boy is. We don’t condone his behaviour. As a role model, he should be able to deal with criticism positively. Your temperament must be able to overcome all the challenges. You must concentrate on the game. Sometimes you need to be patient. If I wasn’t patient I wouldn’t be in football still, but I’m still in football. His attitude was unprofessional. It was an act of misconduct and it really tarnished the reputation and the image of the club. But he is very remorseful for his actions. Gabuza is a very humble person. He told me he was wrong but he’s doing his best for the club. It is very important to under- stand that for strikers to score goals it also depends on your temperament, mixed emotions, anxiety and the energy. That can be influenced by your own supporters. There’s a difference between jeering and cheering. If people jeer at you, you end up losing your steps. You become destabilised. You end up losing your cool. Gabuza is not a lazy player. He is the most performing player. He loves the club and he wants to give back. Gabuza was top goal scorer under Shakes Mashaba for Bafana Bafana.”