Orlando Pirates can’t afford to trust the ‘games in hand’ myth again

The old adage, “games in hand are not points guaranteed,” might come back to haunt Orlando Pirates and prove true again this season, even with a tweaked cast, if things continue as they are.

Pirates were scheduled to host Chippa United at Orlando Stadium yesterday in a Betway Premiership clash. However, that encounter has since been postponed until Tuesday.

The delay appears to stem from the fact that they were initially scheduled by the league to be away on continental duty. But that wasn’t to be — they failed to qualify for the CAF Champions League group stage after being eliminated in the final round of qualifiers.

Given all that, Pirates will now have to put all their eggs in one basket — domestic competitions — as their pursuit of another continental crown can only resume next season.

But the fact that they still have to postpone games, allegedly due to the assumption that they would be engaged in continental football, does not augur well for the team or their revived pursuit of domestic honours to salvage their season.

Again, games in hand are not points guaranteed. The catch-up system is demanding, with matches coming thick and fast, forcing players and coaching staff to stretch themselves in order to meet expectations.

Pirates also know this system has not worked well for them in the past. Just last season, they had a realistic chance of claiming a quadruple — the MTN8, Nedbank Cup, Betway Premiership and the Champions League.

But alas, they managed only to win the MTN8. They had an impressive run on the continent, reaching the semi-finals — their best Champions League performance since reaching the final in 2013.

In their pursuit of a second star, their league campaign seemed to suffer, as they failed to win their games in hand and close the gap on log leaders — and eventual champions — Mamelodi Sundowns.

With the club having brought in new personnel, including coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, that pattern could return to haunt them if they fail to use the time and space available to build momentum and collect as many points as possible.

Pirates are currently second on the log with 22 points, just three behind Sundowns, who have played three more games. That’s why they could potentially leapfrog the champions to the summit if they win their games in hand.

On paper, it appears they have the personnel to win most of their domestic fixtures, following their signing spree during the winter transfer window. These include Sipho Mbule, Sihle Nduli, Lebone Seema, Yanela Mbuthuma and Masindi Nemtajela.

But of that group, only Mbule has won the league in recent years — with Sundowns — and that’s why he is likely to understand what it takes for the team to step up and deliver during crunch time.

He cannot, however, do it alone. And that is why Pirates must use the time they have now to apply pressure on Sundowns and secure maximum points, so they do not fall short later in the campaign.