'They Must Be Grounded'- Orlando Pirates Legend Pleads With Technical Team To Manage Egos

Orlando Pirates legend Ronnie Zondi has raised a red flag regarding the club’s spectacular run of form, admitting that the current dominance of the Soweto giants is beginning to give him sleepless nights for unexpected reasons. 

Despite the Sea Robbers having been ruthless in their recent fixtures, dismantling opponents with ease, the club icon fears that such unchecked success could prove to be a double-edged sword.

The Buccaneers are currently destroying everything on their part while firmly keeping their eyes on the 2025/2026 Betway Premiership title. 

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However, amidst the celebrations and the growing belief that the trophy is destined for Orlando, Zondi is pleading with the technical team to intervene. 

"Sometimes when we get to this point, that's where I'm getting very concerned. Sometimes we tend to overpraise our young players and they end up relaxing," says Zondi as quoted by KickOff.com.

The former defender’s apprehensions stem from years of experience in the game, where he has witnessed teams crumble under the weight of their own hype. 

He warns that comfort often breeds complacency as when players feel they are cruising without resistance, they naturally lower their guard, risking the loss of everything they have worked tirelessly to achieve up to this point in the campaign.

"The Pirates bots are on a high and they are doing very well, but personally I would like to be cautious. Football is another game, it's unpredictable. There are so many things that can go wrong," cautions the legend. 

"Players tend to take things for granted when they are cruising and end up losing everything they were working hard for."

Zondi is adamant that the mental aspect of the game is now just as important as the physical performance on the pitch. He urges the squad to remain humble despite the accolades.

"I would like to emphasise strongly that they must be grounded, the job at hand is not finished yet,” adds the former defender, before sharing what main concern is.

“Fame might go into these players heads, that's my concern."

The psychological management of a winning team is often harder than motivating a losing one. Zondi points out that this phenomenon is not exclusive to sports; it is a human trait observable in the corporate world as well.

Consequently, the burden falls on the shoulders of the technical staff to manage egos and maintain discipline. Zondi hopes the management is proactive in ensuring that the winning culture remains professional rather than haughty.

"I'm hoping the Pirates technical staff work very hard in player management. If a company is doing very well, employees tend to be arrogant," he concluded.