Kabelo Dlamini: "That’s what motivated me to join Pirates."

After Orlando Pirates finished second in the Absa Premiership last season, they went out to the market to get new players that would help them go one step further. One of those was talented midfielder Kabelo Dlamini from Bloemfontein Celtic, a player with a sweet left foot and an ability to make the team play with his vision and sublime passing. Joining Bucs, however, was never going to be easy because of the competition in midfield and, while Dlamini has been given opportunities, he is not playing as regularly as he was at Celtic, though the 23-year-old is without a doubt one for the future.

Tshepang Mailwane: Kabelo, how have you managed to handle life at home during this lockdown due to the Coronavirus?

Kabelo Dlamini: It’s okay. We are working as a team, we are not just sitting. We (go to) gym twice a day, in the morning and afternoon, so that we do not get frustrated. We are working hard as a team from our homes. We are not relaxed.

TM: Do you train as a group or individually?

KD: We train together as a group with the live video, but I also do my own training so that I can keep improving, you see? I don’t just sit here at home and do nothing. It’s important to keep working hard because we don’t know what’s going to happen after this lockdown. What if the league carries on and it finds that you are unfit? You just have to push and work hard for your own sake.

TM: Are you with family or you are alone during this time?

KD: My family came to visit me before the lockdown for the support, just so that I am not frustrated. My mother and father are here, as well as my siblings. I asked them to come and be with me for now, so that I can be with them and so that I can be happy and not frustrated. I think what makes us happy is football and being with family. So now there’s no football, but I can still be with my family. I think if they were not here, I’d be sad. It’s important for us to look after ourselves because we see the numbers of people having the virus increasing. I still need my family around, so we need to be safe. We are doing everything to ensure we do not get the virus.

TM: How does your family feel about you playing for one of the big-gest clubs in the country?

KD: They tell me every day that they are proud of me, because from long ago it’s been my dream to play for (Orlando) Pirates. My grandfather was a big Pirates supporter and I have a picture with him. He passed away, but I think he is proud of me where he is, because mine and his wish came true. It’s a dream come true for me to be here.

TM: Is your father a Pirates supporter too?

KD: No, he is a (Kaizer) Chiefs supporter, but now he supports Pirates because I play for Pirates now. He was supporting Chiefs because I had not started playing in the PSL. Since I started playing in the PSL, he first supported (Bloemfontein) Celtic because of me and now he supports Pirates. He had to change, there was no other way.

TM: Which Pirates player did you grow up admiring?

KD: It was Cheeseboy (Lebohang Mokoena). He was a good player. He was a top player at Pirates during his time.

TM: Before the suspension of the league, Pirates were doing well. Do you worry that the rhythm will be affected when you come back?

KD: Yes, it does kill the momentum because we were coming along well as a team. And what made us come together as a team was the hard work, but I don’t think we will be af-fected too much because we will keep on working hard the same way we were (before the suspension). Results come with hard work, so we just need to keep on pushing.

TM: Why do you think the team has been doing so well over the last few months?

KD: I think it was the team spirit, which was strong. We worked as a unit and we just kept on pushing. We were together and I think we got to know each other even more because some of us were new players in the team, so we were still figuring out how we play. So, I think during this time we were used to each other and we kept on pushing to get to where we are today. We are used to each other and we have gelled in.

TM: If the season were to end with the rest of the games being played, should the title be given to the team at the top or should the season be deemed null and void?

KD: If it ends? That’s a difficult question. There are seven games to play and you can’t tell who will win the league. Anything can happen. As you can see, the gap between Chiefs, (Mamelodi) Sundowns and Pirates is not that big, so it would be difficult for anyone to say who should win the league and who should get relegated. I don’t think the teams at the bottom would agree to it, because they believe that they still have a chance to survive.

TM: With that said, what do you make of the title race at the moment?

KD: I think there’s still a long way to go. The league has to continue so that we can see what happens because anything can still happen. We don’t know who is going to lose, we don’t know who is going to win. Things can change in football, as we’ve seen in seasons before. Anything can still happen.

TM: How do you rate your chances of winning the league if the campaign resumes?

KD: Well, anything is possible. We just need to work hard and focus on ourselves and win our games. Anything can happen.

TM: How disappointed was it that you did not go all the way in the cup competitions this season?

KD: Pirates is a team that has won cups and we are meant to push to please the supporters. But we have not won a trophy this season and that is not good. It does not make us happy as players. We work hard to try and improve the situation we are in. We need to keep on pushing.

TM: Would you describe this a failed season if you go on not to win anything?

KD: Yeah, I’d say we have failed because we felt that we could improve the situation of the drought, but we have to keep on working hard to improve the situation.

TM: Let’s talk about joining Pirates. What was the feeling like when you first heard that the Soweto giants were interested in signing you?

KD: I was so happy, but you know, when there are rumours, you won’t always believe until you actually sign with the team. But I was excited because I knew what the meaning behind all of it was. My grandfather supported Pirates and I grew up supporting them. I felt that if it would happen, then it would be a dream come true. I knew about the interest about six months before. But what-ever I saw in the papers and what was being said… at that time, I was not sure because I knew that things could change at any time. I knew I had to work hard because I knew that there were people watching me.

TM: At the time, was it only Pirates interested in your services?

KD: There was Pirates, Polokwane City and Golden Arrows. It was my dream to play for Pirates.

TM: Sure

KD: When I heard that Pirates wanted me, I just said I wanted to go and see for myself. Obviously, teams like Pirates, Chiefs and Sundowns have good players. They don’t just sign anyone. All these teams have quality players and if you want to be one of the greatest, you need to compete. So, I decided that I wanted to go to Pirates so that I could be able to improve as a player because if you are in a comfort zone, you won’t get to where you want to be. I dream big and I think that’s what motivated me to join Pirates. There’s a lot of quality at Pirates and, in order for you to play and showcase your tal-ent, you have to work hard. I won’t lie, you have to work. Talent on its own won’t do anything. Even though I have not played as many games as I would have liked so far, I am grate-ful for the ones I have played. I’ve managed to help the team here and there. Pirates has talented and quality players.

TM: What was your expectation when you joined?

KD: Like I was saying, Pirates has a lot of quality players, so I just waited for my turn. During pre-season, I worked hard to try and adjust to the philosophy of the coaches and understand the game model they had and wait for my chance. That’s what I told myself when I got here. I knew I had to work hard so that I could get an opportunity to play.

TM: How special was it to make your debut against your former club, Celtic?

KD: It was very special to play against a team where you came through. My former teammates, like Menzi Masuku, came to me and told me that I changed the game when I came on. I told them that I would keep on working hard.

TM: Before leaving Celtic, did former Bucs players Menzi Masuku and Ndumiso Mabena give you some advice on what to expect?

KD: I used to share a room with Mabena and he was someone who always advised me because he has been in the game for a long time. Guys like (Given) Mashikinya also helped me in giving me advice because I was asking them if I was making the right move. I believed that I was making the right move, but I was asking them how they felt about it and I was asking Mabena what the environment is like. Mabena told me that when I get to Pirates, I should keep working hard, not say a lot of things, because it’s a big team. He said I should work as hard as I was when I was at Celtic.

TM: Do you think your time at Siwelele prepared you for Pirates?

KD: Yes, it did prepare me because there were challenges. I had to be strong so that when I get to Pirates, I’m always strong and have heart. Celtic made me strong. There were times when we had problems with salaries, but I never focused on that because I wanted to show South Africa (that) I have talent. I was given an opportunity to show the country what I’m good at, so I was not focused on things like salaries. I carried on working. Even in my first season when I was not playing much in the first half of the season, I was frustrated, but I kept on working hard. Luckily, in the second half of the season, I played all the games and that shows that working hard brings you results.

TM: Great attitude, Kabelo.

KD: My time there was great, because I was there from development and I knew what I wanted. I worked hard. I am a guy who believes in hard work. Talent alone cannot get you far, so you need to work. I worked, I was disciplined and I just knew what I wanted when I was there.

TM: Were you not worried, though, that you were making this move too early in your career?

KD: To be the best, you have to challenge yourself as a person. Be-cause people say when you go there you are too young, but there’s nothing like that. What if you go there, play one season and then go overseas?  If you want to be the best, you have to challenge yourself. You can’t be complacent.

TM: How much pressure is there when you join a club that has not won a trophy in a few years now?

KD: From the time you sign for Pirates, you know there is pressure. Pirates has a lot of supporters and you can even see on social media, after you are announced as a Pirates player, your followers (on social media) just grow. They see you as a top player because Pirates does not just sign anyone, so there’s expectations. So, as a player, you know there’s pressure. You need to work extra hard, because Pirates does not sign ordinary players. Pirates is a team that wants cups. In their history, they’ve won cups. Pirates is one of the best teams in Africa, so they would not just settle for Top Eight.

TM: What was it like playing in the CAF Champions League earlier this season?

KD: I think that league is the toughest one. It was a good experience for me because it was the first time and I was excited to be playing on the continent.

TM: Do you feel that it helped you with your game in any way?

KD: Yes, it did because it made me realise that it does not help to be weak. Teams outside have big guys and my body is small, so I just need to improve and work hard to im-prove my strength because these are the kinds of things I will face again in future. Pirates is a team that plays in the Champions League and such an experience can also help if I go abroad.

TM: You’ve worked with Milutin Sredojevic, Rhulani Mokwena and now Josef Zinnbauer this season at Pirates. How has that been?

KD: Micho was a good coach, Rhulani is a top coach and coach Zinnbauer is a top coach. Obviously, the style of play changed and we had to get used to it. I think that thing played a role, but all of them are top coaches.

TM: What has Zinnbauer brought to the team?

KD: He came and told us that we can’t play as individuals. He brought the team spirit and unity. He is a good coach and he is someone who gives us freedom to play.

TM: You’ve played 15 games in all competitions this season…

KD: I think I’ve done well in the games that I have played. I just have to keep on improving and try to help the team to achieve its goals. Pirates is a big team that wants to win cups and the league, so we just need to work hard. My performance alone is not enough. We just need to work as a team and try to get the results that will win us cups. But in my first season, 15 games… we’ve pushed as a team and I am getting used to Orlando Pirates.

TM: Is there anything you’d want to improve on?

KD: I think I must score more goals. I’m a number 10, so I feel like I should score more goals for team.

TM: Describe the feeling of getting your first goal for Pirates in the first half of the season against Polokwane City.

KD: I was so happy because before that, I was busy hitting the pole and it was hurting me that I had played seven games at the time without scoring a goal. It was frustrating me, so when I got my first goal, I was so happy and everyone was happy for me. Immediately after changing (after the game), I found missed calls from my family. They told me that they were happy that I had opened my scoring account and that more would come.

TM: Thanks for your time.

KD: Thank you.