Three Ships Featuring Marks 'Go Man Go' Maponyane
By winning the CAF Champions League in 1995, Orlando Pirates had to overcome huge obstacles to elevate the pride of South African football. It's a feat that 20 years later has still not been replicated by any other South African side. Why do our big clubs flatter to deceive in Africa? What did it take for Bucs to win in '95? Marks Maponyane played his part in helping Pirates secure that first star. He explains to Soccer Laduma's David Minchella what he believes it takes to win on the continent... David Minchella: Marks, you scored two goals during Pirates' famous run to clinch the CAF Champions League in 1995. Bucs are the only SA club that have the star on their chest. Why do you think teams like Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs are not in the same company when it comes to African competition? Marks Maponyane: You have to learn to win ugly. For example, we saw how Kaizer Chiefs faced that intimidation factor when they played away at Raja Casablanca and got knocked out. Look, it starts from home. When Pirates played Al-Ahly in the competition a couple of season's back, there was 4000 or so people in the ground, but,when Chiefs play Pirates, close to 90 000 people are there. Do these people not know exactly what is the bigger picture? This thinking filters through to the players. They will start to think the CCL is not bigger than the Soweto Derby. They have to see the bigger picture! If we want to be proud as South Africans one day in the CCL or the CAF Confederations Cup, we need to help our teams go through! The fans in other countries go and watch their teams in droves! DM: Right. MM: These teams don't really know Chiefs, yet the fans still come out to support their team. That's how we must behave as well. It shows our stars that we believe in them and that they must perform. DM: Intimidation from fans and even officials is always going to be there when playing in Africa. How did Bucs overcome all of those obstacles in 1995? MM: I remember once they put drums and trumpets behind our bench. Every time our coach got up to give instructions, they would blow their trumpets and bang those drums. That meant nobody could hear what the coach was saying! Another time, at the hotel in Uganda, the guys made sure that there was a live band playing throughout the night. These are some of the things you have to overcome. You've got to go there, be strong and win ugly. We had strong characters and big hearts back then, though! We had our Jerry Sikhosanas, John Moetis and Gavin Lanes. You know, we had guys with big hearts in every department. We had a balance. We had people who'd say, "Gents, there is no time for skills here. It's time to kill!" DM: Sure. MM: I mean, we never saw this fighting spirit when Chiefs lost to Raja and Sundowns went down to TP Mazembe. I can only say they don't make players the way they used to anymore! I honestly don't think it's about the money. It's about the meaning. It's about the pride. It's about the honour of being an African champion. People don't understand how the '95 team did it… we had this burning desire! We thought, "Wow, this is the time!" DM: Surely the hefty salaries in the PSL today influence commitment levels when playing away in Africa? MM: Exactly! But we were not that poor back then. I mean, I had a Mercedes Benz AMG and a convertible 328. I had a burning desire deep inside of me. I took advantage of the sponsors. The more you win, the more the people want you… that's how I worked it out! The hunger comes from not being a big hit in SA, but not having travelled the continent. You're not famous when you're just known in your area. You must be a success globally. Success has no limit. It's just about how you perceive yourself and your talents. DM: Very true. MM: If you think you are successful, you realise you can be a hit in all these continental games. Then you could be seen by a scout and move anyway (to Europe)! DM: It's without question that our players are on par with anyone else in Africa. It just appears to come down to not having the hunger and the fighting spirit needed to win. MM: Yes. Look at Pirates of two years ago. They didn't win it like the Bucs of '95, but they showed hunger and unity. They showed what the team meant and what the cup meant as well. They were not a great team… they were not earth-movers… but they drew on the history of the past. It starts with the fans, hey. I mean, I covered the final when there were lasers being shone in the players' eyes and Bucs lost. The atmosphere was unbelievable! DM: Go on. MM: When our teams come back defeated and you ask, "Did you do everything you could to win?" the answer is no. They just crumbled up there. Every time they come back they tell us about the intimidation. If you ask me to tell a story about how to conquer Africa with a happy ending, I can do that. If you ask a Chiefs and Downs player the same thing, he cannot. They'll talk about the impossible, not how to conquer it. To put it bluntly, they talk about the problem and not the solution. They lock you out and don't give you food. They wake you up early. They mess you around at the airport. I remember they sold us bottled water they filled up from the taps! In Nigeria they put us in a mini-bus and said the game was that day so we rushed to the stadium, but when we got there they said, "No, sorry guys! The game is tomorrow." All of those intimidation factors aside, happily, at least we can say at the end we became champions. We all know about the problems! The solution to winning in Africa is overcoming those problems. That's why Bucs are still the only SA team to have won that star. DM: Thanks for your insights, 'Go-man-go'! This certainly is food for thought for our big clubs to consider. MM: You're very welcome. Thanks, Dave.
