Pirates striker Radiopane explains initial starts – ‘People don’t understand’ as Bucs’ ‘Zidane’ is named

At the beginning of the 2025/26 Premier Soccer League season, Boitumelo Radiopane started as Orlando Pirates‘ main striker.

The 23-year-old is seen as one of the talented players at Bucs, but injuries and stiff competitions limited him from regular football. However, it seemed Abdeslam Ouaddou had settled on the versatile attacker as his man as opposed to the likes of Evidence Makgopa, Tshegofatso Mabasa and Yanela Mbuthuma who had just joined the team.

A section of Bucs fans were unhappy with the forward owing to his struggles, and Radiopane has now responded.

Ouaddou was implementing what was happening in training

To answer your question, I think not everyone sees the work that we do at training,” Radiopane told SNAWA on Metro FM.

“It [starting matches] came as a surprise to a lot of people, asking themselves why I’m starting.

“So, people don’t understand that everything starts at training but as I always say we always supporting each other in the team. 

“Like with Makgopa, he’s my friend and we support each other when anyone of us is playing or not playing but also I was disturbed by injuries, I struggled with my hamstring after my third game that’s why it took time to come back,” Radiopane concluded.

Mbule, Pirates’ Zidane?

Meanwhile coach Ouaddou has explained why he rates Sipho Mbule highly and the reasons for signing him.

“I said it before I signed with Pirates that one of the players I’d like to work with is Sipho Mbule,” the former Morocco international told MSW.

“I was very happy to find him at Orlando Pirates and we have to give credit to the club and the chairman who gave a second chance to a talent like that.

“And Sipho Mbule, if I have to compare him, I compare him with Zinedine Zidane. He has the talent, he has eyes at the back of his head, he can see before receiving the ball.

“He can make some fantastic drills that nobody can do. Sipho, I started working with him in the pre-season and we have seen the results. He went back to the national team.”