Former Orlando Pirates striker Thulasizwe “Juju-Man” Mbuyane recently looked back on his debut for the club in 2008, recalling his move from Free State Stars under Dutch coach Ruud Krol. Speaking on the Trap and Pass podcast, Mbuyane revealed that he joined Pirates for a transfer fee of R2.8 million.
“When I signed for Orlando Pirates, I was earning R34,000,” Mbuyane shared. “When I arrived, the Telkom Charity Cup was coming up. They said that if we won it, we wouldn’t win the league, like it was a superstition or curse. After that, we played in the SA Super 8, and my first game for Pirates was in that tournament against SuperSport United.”
Mbuyane admitted that nerves got to him at first, but after a few minutes, he felt more comfortable, especially after having already played a few pre-season games.
However, his debut didn’t go as he had hoped. “I missed an easy chance, and immediately after that, the ball went to the other side, and Teferra Fikru scored a bicycle kick. SuperSport won 2-1, and I was stressed after the match because we lost,” he said.
Mbuyane went on to win six trophies during his six years at Orlando Pirates, including two league titles. Despite his later success, the debut game left a mark on him. “Ruud Krol wanted us to analyze the game the following Monday. When we watched the match in the auditorium, I could hear the Zulu-speaking Orlando Pirates supporters cursing me for missing that goal. They shouted, ‘Who is he? Where does he come from?’ as I watched the replay. Everyone in the room watched and laughed.”
Despite a rocky start, Mbuyane became a fan favourite at Pirates, achieving significant success with the club.
