‘The league is gone’ – Orlando Pirates legend makes admission
Orlando Pirates Legend Declares ‘The League is Gone’ in Shocking Statement

‘People must stop comparing Orlando Pirates to Sundowns,’ Bucs legend Innocent Mayoyo says the league is long gone.

Mpumalanga, Mbombela – General View action during the 2024 Nedbank Cup Final between Mamelodi Sundowns v Orlando Pirates on 1 June 2024 at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga Province Photo by Thabang Lepule/Orlando Pirates Football Club

Orlando Pirates legend Innocent Mayoyo has conceded the league title to Mamelodi Sundowns.

The former Bucs shot-stopper said the club needed to sign players with a strong mentality to challenge for the league. The Buccaneers‘ title aspirations suffered a huge blow following their shocking 2-0 loss to Marumo Gallants this past weekend.

“The league is gone,” Mayoyo told KickOff.

Orlando Pirates unlikely to win the league this season

“I don’t think anyone can dispute that, and it’s painful because we all know what we’re talking about. My experience with the South African league tells me the title is lost, and we shouldn’t act as if this is an accident.

“We’ve become accustomed to this for the past seven years. Jose Riveiro must start by addressing the issues at hand, as many of the players signed in the last two seasons are no longer crucial to the club. Players like [Miguel] Timm and [Ndabayithethwa] Ndlondlo come to mind,” Mayoyo added.

The former Orlando Pirates keeper said Sundowns are superior to his former team especually in the league.

“I mean, how can a big club sign a player who hasn’t won anything at his previous club? You need players with strong mentality and experience.

“People must stop comparing Pirates to Sundowns. That’s where they go wrong. We must accept that the current Pirates team is just beginning to gain experience in playing in Africa,” he said.

Orlando Pirates are currently 18 points behind Sundowns after playing 16 league matches. Although they have four games in hand, it will take a miracle for them to win this year’s title.