When it is Kermit Erasmus at the wheel, whether addressing the media or sharing his views on Twitter or giving opposition defenders a torrid time, you must know we are all in for a good time, for he does not pull any punches. For this, he has attracted the odd mixture of 'haters' who become so nauseated at just the mere mention of his name as well as a loyal band of fans who worship at his feet. Diminutive in structure, yet with the biggest heart, and extraordinarily candid, the Gqeberha-born sharpshooter is a rare breed in the local game. When Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver caught up with him following the completion of a successful first season back at Orlando Pirates, the 32-year-old was in his element. The conversation moves from his shock return to the Soweto giants – an institution he regards as home – his Twars (Twitter wars) with fans, THAT goal celebration against Mamelodi Sundowns and why he feels he is misunderstood. Sit back and enjoy as the little man opens up his heart like you've never heard him before!
Delmain Faver: Kermit, you are one of the modern-day characters of the Beautiful Game as we know it, and we're absolutely blown away by how you wear your heart on your sleeve every time you go out onto the field, so thank you for taking time out to chat to the Soccer Laduma readers.
Kermit Erasmus: Thank you so much.
DF: This past season was a very successful one for Orlando Pirates, isn't it?
KE: Yes, I would agree to a degree because, you know, as a club like Orlando Pirates, you have to be challenging for everything and unfortunately halfway through the season already, the championship was decided for us as to who would win it. So, that was already out. Therefore, everything else that was on display to fight for, we tried by all means to achieve that, which was the MTN8 obviously and then the Nedbank Cup at the end of the season, and obviously getting the highest (possible) position in the league. So, you could say it was a successful season to a degree, but there's obviously always room for improvement and growth (for us) as a team.
DF: You may not have been there at the time, but looking from the outside in, it seems that pre-season, where the team spirit was established outside Johannesburg, played no small part in this success.
KE: Well, obviously I wasn't part of the pre-season camp because I was with my previous club, but I've heard of the goals that each individual wrote down for the collective to know, and one list was made out of them. That was something that was important for each individual and as a team unit because that's the only way you can work backwards towards those goals and see how far you've come to achieving those goals once the season is done. So, coming to Pirates and being part of that is obviously a great confidence booster because you have players that are motivated and hungry to achieve these things. Not just to play for the club and be part of the group but obviously just to compete and play for the club and win games and by winning games, win trophies and bring silverware to the club, which is very important.
DF: It's important to mention that this publication was at the PSL offices on deadline day of the January transfer window, right up until 23h45. Zilch announcement, only for news to surface the following day that Kermit Erasmus had signed for Orlando Pirates. Did that come as a shock to you as it did the rest of us?
KE: No, it was not a shock for me because I had been approached by the club and we'd spoken a few times in advance of moving to Orlando Pirates. Yes, it was as hush-hush as possible because that's how the club works and it was announced at the right time when the club had announced it and it happened. But you know, for me, it was just amazing to know that I could still be of value and I could still be appreciated for what I've done previously at the club. I grabbed it with both hands and here we are today, at the end of my first season, two trophies, second position like we set ourselves out to achieve. I'm just happy that we've done that as a collective.
DF: 'Home' is a word that you mention quite a lot when referring to the club. What is it about Orlando Pirates that screams 'home' to you?
KE: I don't know. I mean, it's the people, it's the culture, it's the fans. Yeah, it just works with who I am as a human being. It goes with my blood, it goes with my body, with my energy. So, yeah, I think that's why I feel at home. The style of play is what I play like, the entertaining attacking football and just doing everything on matchday every time you are given an opportunity to wear the jersey. It's always a privilege and honour to be part of the club, you know. Did I think I would ever join the club again? I always hoped I would because when I was away from the club, I came across a lot of Pirates supporters and all they asked me was to come back and join the club, you know. So, it's a club I love, it's a club that's made me feel like I've become something in my respective sport, and I just always try to give my best.
DF: Statistically, at Bucs is where you've scored the most goals (25) and made the most assists (19). Is that part of why you wanted to come back so badly, so you could add to those numbers?
KE: Yes, obviously it's something you can never say no to, whether it's the first time or the second time, but you also have to take into account that I'm not at the start of my career and, you know, there's a lot being said about you, about your ability and what you can and cannot still do at the age you're at. Being given this opportunity to change the stigma or the cycle that's been put on athletes in South African football, specifically about getting older and not being able to still be hungry to contribute to a specific cause or a proper project that the club has to offer, for me it's always about believing in yourself and just enjoying it. Coming back home, it's been the greatest thing for me in my career right now and people have received me really well. It's sometimes overwhelming, but I embrace it as best as possible because it's a beautiful club with beautiful fans, and when you get an opportunity, you always try to give your best.
DF: Last season, you made a bold statement that you had set yourself a target of 30 goals. That statement was taken quite seriously by fans and when you didn't achieve that, you took a hammering on social media!
KE: Ha, ha, ha. People obviously don't think things through and they say things about whether you've achieved what you said you are gonna achieve, and they don't see how many games you've played and how many chances you got in the game or how many minutes you played. But you know, if you look at my goalscoring chance creation ratio, I need one chance to score a goal, so if I have to have 30 chances in 30 different games, that will give you 30 goals. But yeah, that's another topic of discussion. But you know, for me, at the age I'm at, all I care about is winning and making sure that we all win as a team and we create a great atmosphere for one another so that when we are done with football, we can look back and remember what we've achieved together. The only way you can do that is by winning and winning silverware. These moments that we've spent after games of winning and especially after the MTN8 final, those are moments you cannot buy and those are the moments you get to know your teammate on a different level. If you don't win, you don't get that experience, but winning creates that, and that's the culture we are trying to bring back at the club. So, by doing that, we create a brotherhood that we can communicate with each other even after we are done playing football. It's about being remembered for what you've contributed. We are only here for a short period of time. It can be one season, two seasons, but a lot can be achieved in that short space of time if you are willing to work together. This season has been amazing because yes, we fought as teammates, but it was for the betterment of the team and we made up after training because that's what it's about. That's what brotherhood is about and that's what we are trying to create and grow within the team.
DF: You are one of the few players in the local game who speak their mind. It's not always an appreciated trait in a human being, generally.
KE: Definitely. I mean, you know, we are all different and we all have different opinions and sometimes you understand, like, where you got to in your life because of what you do. Some things are always gonna be criticized about what you say and what you feel, but yet the same people who criticize you can relate to what you are saying or understand what you mean but yet they just wanna cause whatever it is they feel for whatever reason. But I always say this… I don't think a lot of people's level of thinking is on my level and that's why I don't really pay attention to that. And with being someone who's free to say what he feels, it's just how I've always been, you know. You can't expect the next person to be the same way… because I'm like that! It's how I've always been and how I was raised to always be, (to be) honest, be respectful and always be grateful for what you have, you know. Treat everybody the same. Treat people how you wanna be treated and I always like to think that I treat people with respect and (like) a human because I am who I am because of what I do. I'm also human and I like to treat people the way I want to be treated and that's with respect. A lot of people think I'm arrogant, but it's because I'm a direct person – if I don't like something, I'm going to say it, but I'm going to say it in a respectful manner.
DF: Brilliant.
KE: I'm not going to be disrespectful about it, but if it happens more than once, I'm human and I'm gonna react in an angry way as well because I'm human, just like anybody would if somebody feels they are being disrespected. And yes, I understand it's because of who I am that it might seem different, but what do you expect if you are being respectful to people and people are being disrespectful to you? Sometimes you cannot help but treat people the way they treat you because you've treated them with respect and then they don't even show you that. So, I've always been a transparent person. I never hold grudges, but I always like people to take accountability for how they made me feel or how they treated me, if they treated me in any wrong way. So, that's just how I am, and I have no fear of confrontation, but I always try to approach it in the best way possible. I just feel that, you know, too many times, a lot of things go on unnoticed or unspoken, and I'm not some type of person that would let things slide because I'm direct, that is just how I am.
DF: That's powerful, and certainly a lot of people out there appreciate you for who you are, Romeo. So, does this explain why you celebrate when you score against your former teams?
KE: I mean, if we think about it, my celebration (against Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final) wasn't thought about. It was just out of pure emotion. I mean, if any human (being) puts themselves in my position, where they come back to a club that they love, that their dad loved and you score against the team where things didn't go in a respectful manner, but you never spoke about it in the media because you are not that type of person, you speak for yourself on the field, which is sporty, I assume. My celebration was not taunting anybody, it was just out of pure passion. I've worked hard for that moment. I've envisioned that moment. I never spoke anything about nobody and about whatever may happen before the time. I kept about my business, I moved to the club I call home now, where I've always been supposed to be, home. So, it's sports, it's football. I celebrated because of pure passion. Seeing what it feels like to be at home, to score in front of my fans, you can't describe that feeling and you can't contain it.
DF: In our recent interview with Kamohelo Mokotjo, he said, "Sometimes people remember when they want to that I'm 32, and people forget when they want to that I'm 32." There seems to be a stigma attached to players on the wrong side of 30. What do you make of this?
KE: I mean, look at the game Kamo played (Nedbank Cup final). Everybody's so surprised and amazed by what he can do on the field, but I mean, what are we doing? What do we think of him? You want to compare his value for his age and then you want to jump to getting him in at your club when you only see what he's capable of. How do you expect him to feel then? Like, in South Africa we gotta believe more in our players. We can pay foreigners big salaries, but here we have enough… We have enough players in South Africa that are capable, and all they want is an opportunity and all they expect is an opportunity. That's what I got and I'm grateful for it. I'm testament to that and I'm trying to let South African football realise that. Your value is not measured by your age. You watch football games, you watch players, you have scouts – be honest about what you're scouting. Don't do favours. Be honest about your scouting because that's the only way football's gonna grow and improve. I hope the senior players that are given the opportunity are there to guide the youngsters not only on the field but off the field as well.
DF: It's not easy for an 'unknown' coach to come into a big team and get all the players to buy into his philosophy. What has coach Jose Riveiro done right?
KE: For me, the most important thing is that he is a great human being and that's what makes him an even better coach than what whoever thinks he is. The fact is that he is a good human being, he's honest, he communicates with the players and is quite calm about how he communicates with players regardless of what might have gone wrong or right. But I think the human side of it is what players buy into about the philosophy and the system and just his team that helps him achieve that. They have a great understanding of their departments and how they need to go about it and he's been good with all of us. What we achieved this season and the confidence he's given us even in the games that we've played well and that we didn't win, he gave us the confidence to believe that regardless of the result, it's the process that we are focusing on. I think players are improving, players are getting better, players are excited to come to training and that is very important also for us as players. So, he's been great.
DF: Similarly, Scott Chickelday came in for a month-long stint, which proved to be a masterstroke as he seemed to revive the strike force…
KE: Scott has been great! What a guy, what a human being as well. He is very open, very family-orientated, very friendly and just knows how to build confidence in us as strikers. Like, even Dzvuka (Terrence Dzvukamanja) spoke about his confidence when Scotty arrived. The exercise was obviously very, very good for us as strikers to remind us about the instinct of finishing, and a lot of that definitely improved and it just shows that practice can improve game situations.
DF: The last time you played in the CAF Champions League with the Buccaneers, that's when you got your move to Stade Rennes in France. One can imagine that it's a competition you are very excited to be back in.
KE: Definitely. I mean, Champions League is what Orlando Pirates fans want us to achieve. They are hoping for a second star, and now that we've qualified for that, it's something that we can fight for. So, yeah, I'm excited about Champions League. It's always good to have experience outside, to test ourselves against other African champions, other African giants. So, yeah, it's gonna be a good season, I'm looking forward to it. It's been a great foundation this season for us. We set great targets and we've achieved that, so there's new targets to be set in the new season and hopefully we can work to achieve them.
DF: In the 2021/22 campaign, you won a domestic treble with Downs and then obviously added two more trophies this past season. This takes your trophy haul in South Africa to seven major trophies. That's impressive.
KE: You know, I didn't even think of that now that you are saying that. I only thought about the back-to-back–Nedbank Cup and MTN8 champions – now that I've won both because I saw it on Twitter. I'm not someone that really praises myself. You have to do it like that. I just want to do my job as best as I can, go home and relax, you know. That's how I am. I prepare for the game, do it as best I can because a lot of people's happiness depends on us as a team for those 90 minutes, so I try to deliver on that. Obviously, it's not always possible, but I try my best and that's why I always try to give my best on that when I am given a chance so that I can go home satisfied knowing that the people that came to watch me play are happy.
KERMIT ERASMUS FACT FILE
Full name: Kermit Romeo Erasmus
Date of birth: 8 July 1990
Place of birth: Gqeberha, Eastern Cape
Nickname: Romeo
Position: Striker
Jersey number: 95
Club: Orlando Pirates
Previous clubs: Rangers, Park United (both amateur), SuperSport United juniors, SuperSport United FC, Feyenoord Rotterdam, SBV Excelsior (on loan), Orlando Pirates, Stade Rennes, RC Lens (on loan, both France), AFC Eskilstuna (Sweden), Vitória Setubal (Portugal), Cape Town City, Mamelodi Sundowns
Honours: 2007/08 PSL winner (with SuperSport), 2011/12 Telkom Knockout winner (with SuperSport), 2013 CAF Champions League runner-up, 2013/14 Nedbank Cup winner (with Pirates), 2015 CAF Confederation Cup runner-up (with SuperSport), 2020/21 League winner, 2021/22 PSL winner, 2020/21 MTN8 winner (all with Sundowns), 2022/23 MTN8 winner, 2022/23 Nedbank Cup winner (both with Pirates), 19 Bafana Bafana caps, 8 national U20 caps, 7 national U17 caps
