It's incredible how Tapelo Xoki joined Orlando Pirates and played such a huge role as one of the leaders in the team. It was as if he had been there for a long time. Not only that, his leadership skills also came to the fore as he wore the captain's armband whenever needed, as the side won the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. This season, it's more of the same. The Khayelitsha-born star plays the role of skipper whenever Innocent Maela is not on the pitch, a task he has taken to like duck to water for the Soweto giants, who are determined to build on 2022/23's success by winning the league this term. The defender will be one of the key men as they attempt to get their hands on the elusive title. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Tshepang Mailwane, the former AmaZulu FC man talks about expectations for the current season and what was learnt from the preseason trip to Spain.
Tshepang Mailwane: Tapelo, congratulations on the 5-0 victory over Sekhukhune United in the MTN8 quarterfinals. You have been drawn against Stellenbosch FC in the two-legged semifinals. With that in mind, is there pressure to defend the trophy you won last season?
Tapelo Xoki: We know the challenges we are facing. Everyone now is going to have a gun on our backs, so we know that, but we don't look beyond the games that we play. We focus on the game that we are going to play. We have to make sure we apply ourselves. We know that we have to defend the cup and hopefully we'll do that. We'll do our best to make sure that we bring it home.
TM: You're now into your second season with Orlando Pirates after winning two trophies last term. What's it like going into a new campaign knowing that there was so much success in the first one?
TX: I'm still super happy for the success we achieved last season. It's one of the reasons most of us are here, we are here to win trophies and compete. So, it was a great feeling to win those trophies in the first season. It also calms the pressure down as we start the new season with less pressure as we try to play our game as best as we can. Hopefully this season we can double our efforts and achieve more success for the club and better the history of the season.
TM: You say it calms the pressure, but don't you think there will be more pressure because expectations will probably be higher from the supporters?
TX: When you come here, everyone will tell you that donning this jersey is pressure on its own. We know what we represent. In terms of more pressure, we know that's going to be the case, but we are looking to defend what we have won and win what we have not won. So, it's not like we are playing all the games at once. We play one game at a time and take each challenge as it comes. Hopefully we will be more focused and be united because it's going to be a very long and tough season.
TM: Winning what you haven't won means you are going for the big one, the league title. What will it take?
TX: We've done our assessment and we know where we fell short last season. We know where we could have done better, but we also know where we did well. For now, it's up to us to make sure that we apply ourselves correctly and that we do the business as early as possible. We had challenges last season, but I think we are better equipped this season to deal with those challenges that we faced last season. It's up to us now to deliver and make sure that we bring it home. We play the league to win it, and it's the same in the cup games. We won't say we are playing the league to be in and around there. We play to win it, so we have to make sure that we play all our games with that mindset. The goal is always about the team before the individual. That's the same attitude. We need the team to achieve success and greatness. Once the team does that, then the individuals will reap the rewards of that.
TM: How do you think the pre-season camp you had in Spain will help you achieve this goal of trying to win the league?
TX: It was a great experience for us as a group and it was a great initiative by the club. It's not every day that you see a South African team going into Europe to have a pre-season, so we appreciate that the club gave us that opportunity. We competed against some of the top clubs in the world and we saw what we could do. It was a great learning experience and hopefully we will take all that we learnt in those games and apply it in the league and in the Champions League, because we are going to face a lot of different challenges. There are a lot of competitions we will be competing in, so we will take that experience and use it wisely. The speed of the games was quite different from what we are used to in South Africa. They were very tactical, so there was a lot that we picked up, like the concentration you need to keep throughout the games. Hopefully with all the small details that we picked up, we will be able to use them.
TM: Seems just like the type of experience that can propel you guys to success…
TX: That's for sure, it goes without saying. It will inspire us because we know the difficulties. We were playing in very hot conditions that side and that was a challenge on its own, but we persevered and pulled through, so we will take a lot of that and use it in the league. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be a long season with a lot of games. We have games in Africa, so we tried to prepare for all fronts. Hopefully it will help us.
TM: What do you make of how the new signings have been able to fit in?
TX: The new guys have settled in well. Patrick (Maswanganyi) scored about three goals in pre-season, so that shows good signs that he has settled in very well. Guys like Melusi (Buthelezi) and (Katlego) Otladisa have settled in well. Unfortunately, Azola (Matrose) has not really played games as he has been trying to recover now. They have settled in and we do our best to make sure that they gel with the team and the technical team does their best to make sure that they are up to speed with what we do as a club.
TM: Having been a new player yourself at the Buccaneers last season, what advice do you have for them?
TX: The advice is always the same: Be yourself, do your best, work hard, stay disciplined and the world is your oyster. That's the same attitude we will pass on to them. They should be themselves and do their best, and the rest will take care of itself.
TM: You've had an opportunity to play in the CAF Champions League previously with AmaZulu FC. What are you looking forward to in the competition as you prepare to face Djabal on Saturday?
TX: For us, the first challenge is to get through the preliminary rounds. You don't play the Champions League if you are not in the group stages, so that's the first challenge for us. We can't look beyond that. We have to make sure that we get through the preliminary rounds and then we put ourselves in a position where we can play in the group stages. From there, anything is possible. We have to make sure that we do not look too far ahead. We need to take the first game. That's a challenge on its own. All our attention has to be on the first game.
TM: Is there anything you learnt from your Champions League experience with your previous club?
TX: The experience has taught me to be very strong at home. You have to make sure that you are disciplined away from home because we are not always going to get the best of conditions. It can be the officials, the pitch, the weather… it can be anything. You have to be very disciplined and strong. For us, once that time comes, we have to make sure that we are strong at home and then we are disciplined and take our chances away from home. That's the most important thing.
TM: In the short time you've been at the Soweto giants, you are wearing the captain's armband at times, and have also had the responsibility of taking penalties. How does it make you feel that the team has entrusted you with such responsibility?
TX: I am just grateful that the team has made me who I am. Where I was, I was given those roles, so they have led me to be who I am as well. I am familiar with those roles, and I take them in my stride and make sure that I don't disappoint the team. The team backs me to be in those positions, so I have to also pay it back by doing the best I can. So, I just need to make sure I help the team as much, wherever and however I can. I need to apply myself in every training session and game I get to play and then the rest is up to God.
TM: Thank you for your time, Tapelo. Good luck for this season.
TX: Thank you.
TAPELO XOKI FACT FILE
Date of birth: 10 April 1995
Place of birth: Khayelitsha, Western Cape
Nickname: None
Position: Defender
Jersey number: 35
Club: Orlando Pirates
Previous clubs: Cape Town Liverpool (amateur), Old Mutual Academy, AmaZulu FC
Honours: 2022 MTN8 winner, 2023 Nedbank Cup winner (both with Pirates)
