The National Times - Maswanganyi Clarifies Pirates Allegiance Amidst Career Transition

Patrick Maswanganyi has clarified his professional allegiances, stating that despite growing up supporting Kaizer Chiefs, his dream club has always been Orlando Pirates. The Bafana Bafana international made these remarks during an exclusive interview organized by the South African Football Journalists Association (Safja) on Monday night.

Maswanganyi, who recently moved to Bahrain to join Al-Khaldiya SC, is currently in South Africa for the FIFA International break. He used the opportunity to spend time with his family while addressing questions about his past and his abrupt departure from Pirates.

"I’ve always told my friends, even when I was at SuperSport United for trials, every training session, I would always tell my friends that I want to play for Pirates," Maswanganyi said. "So, it’s been my dream club… I’ve always wanted to play for Pirates. I’m a Kaizer Chiefs fan, but I always knew that playing for Pirates would be great for me in terms of how they played and watching the players they had before."

He emphasized that his commitment to Pirates was singular during his tenure with the club. "When I went to Pirates, I told myself that that was the only club I would play for in South Africa, and that’s where I would end my football at," he added.

The 28-year-old also addressed reports of a strained relationship between himself and former Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, which preceded his exit from the club. Maswanganyi disputed media narratives suggesting hostile conflicts, describing their professional dynamic as functional despite occasional disagreements.

"I would say my relationship with him was okay. We always spoke about what he wanted me to do, and I’ve always tried my best to do what the coach wanted. Sometimes these things happen in football," Maswanganyi said. "You never know what I was supposed to do to play more or get more game time."

He further clarified that there were no personal animosities driving his departure. "I don’t think we’ve had bad fights, as people in the media show that we’ve been fighting. We’ve been doing this and that. It’s never been like that with him and me. It’s always been a coach and a player trying to do our best in our jobs. Sometimes we have disagreements, and we have agreements. That’s how football works."

Maswanganyi’s comments come after he issued a farewell message to Pirates chairman Mochamed Khoza, describing the experience of wearing the club's jersey as a privilege. His move to the Middle East marks a new chapter in his career, distinct from the Soweto derby rivalries that defined much of his public narrative in South African football.

C.Stevenson--TNT