Former Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela was asked by Mike Morton to name the best player he ever shared a dressing room with.
Maela, who retired in October at the age of 33, said Thembikosi Lorch’s development, consistency and influence on the team made him stand out above the rest.
INNOCENT MAELA HONOURS THEMBINKOSI LORCH
Maela and Lorch spent seven seasons together at Orlando Pirates, a period in which Lorch grew from a young squad member to the 2019 PSL Footballer of the Season.
Maela explained that part of his admiration comes from seeing that progression up close, from loan spells to match-winner.
“Thembinkosi Lorch, easy,” the former Bucs captain said on the Mike Morton Talks Football podcast, as quoted by iDiski Times. “Only because when I joined the club, I think he was also on loan a bit and then he came back.
“So, when I joined the club, we were fairly, you know, young in the team. And I saw his development, and I saw him winning the footballer of the year and I saw what it took, you know, for him to reach that space.
“So, I mean, you can see the things that he’s doing now there at Wydad. He’s a top, top talent and it was a privilege for me to play alongside him. I have a few [others] also but, I mean, if I have to choose one, it will be Lorch easily,” the former Orlando Pirates skipper added.
ORLANDO PIRATES WELCOME CHIPPA UNITED
Moving on, the Buccaneers will host Chippa United in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday, 25 November at the Orlando Stadium at 19:30.
A win for the Sea Robbers will set them equal on 25 points with log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
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