Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson has made a surprising confession, revealing a lifelong love for Orlando Pirates, Chiefs’ fierce Soweto rivals.
In a candid interview with Junior Khanye on his new podcast, Johnson declared his allegiance to the Buccaneers, citing their diverse team and vibrant atmosphere as key factors in his youthful fandom.
This revelation comes as a surprise to many, considering Johnson’s recent stint as Amakhosi coach. The 65-year-old had a difficult spell with Chiefs after taking over on an interim basis following Molefi Ntseki’s exit.
Initially hired as head of academy, Johnson oversaw 22 games in 251 days, winning six, drawing seven, and losing nine. This string of poor results saw Chiefs finish in 10th place in the DStv Premiership, missing out on a Top 8 spot [MTN8] last season. Ironically, one of those losses was a 3-2 defeat against Orlando Pirates, after leading 2-1 at halftime.
The former Al Ahly assistant coach was fired from the club at the end of last season and is currently unattached.
ORLANDO PIRATES IS “THE PEOPLE’S TEAM”
“As a youngster… this is going to kill the people. Locally, I have always been a Pirates fan. It’s the people’s team,” Johnson admitted.
He reminisced about his teenage years, frequenting Orlando Stadium to watch his heroes. “In my teenage years, I always went to Orlando. And Pirates, we could identify with Jomo [Sono] and a lot of the guys who were there.”
Johnson emphasised the diverse nature of the Pirates squad as a major attraction. “They always had a diversified team… we always had an excuse to go to Orlando,” he explained. “If you were going to Orlando and the police stop and ask, ‘What are you doing here?’ We would lie and say, ‘No, no, I’m going to watch my uncle’. Pirates always had a mixture of players.”
He further revealed that his brother Graham Johnson played for the Buccaneers as a right-back.
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