gave grand send-off to young Pirates
8 June 2006
The Orlando Pirates Football Club under 19 team received a grand send-off
from Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Barbara Creecy as they jetted off
to Germany on Wednesday.
The nine-member team will represent South Africa and the African continent
at the five-a-side Hyundai Cup in Germany where about 32 teams from around the
world will also take part in the tournament from 28 June to 4 July 2006. The
tournament takes place every four years and coincides with the Football
International Federation Association (FIFA) Soccer World Cup.
Creecy, who just returned from Germany as part of a delegation to learn how
South Africa can host the 2010 Soccer World Cup successfully, urged the "young
champions" to represent the country well, particularly the "home of champions"
as Gauteng is known.
"I am sure all of you are aware what the German World Cup slogan is "time to
make friends", so go out there and enjoy yourself and represent us well. You
must make sure everyone there knows that you are from Africa and Gauteng in
particular," said Creecy.
She added it was important for the Gauteng provincial government to build on
the partnerships like that of Orlando Pirates and Hyundai �if we are serious
about further developing sports in South Africa�.
The young champions of Orlando Pirates qualified for a stint in the German
finals after they won the Hyundai football competition in Soweto in March this
year where they competed against over 42 local teams. They came out tops after
beating Randburg FC in the penalty shootout in the finals.
Team captain Thabiso Tlhodi, who has been involved with Orlando Pirates
development for more than seven years, said they were positive that �with the
support we have received that we are going to bring the Cup home�. �I always
believe that the easiest games are the finals as the road to the finals are
always an uphill battle, I do not care who our opponents are and I am confident
we will do well simply because we are from Gauteng. They do not call us the
home of champions for nothing, you know,� said Tlhodi. The team coach, Siphiwe
Ngwenya, echoed Tlhodi's sentiment. �Preparations went well and although we are
going there to learn, this is no holiday, we will make sure our opponents know
something about South African football when we leave. We will be the defending
champions in 2010,� said Ngwenya.
Other team members include Tsietsi Mkhwanazi, Keana Thomas, Motlalepule
Mofolo, Gift Mokone, Bheki Mlambo, Sizwe Nkabinde and Tshepo Mokone.
Enquiries:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: (011) 355 2578
Cell: 083 507 8068
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng
Provincial Government
28 June 2006
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)
