Cape Town City FC midfielder Fortune Makaringe has revealed the most valuable takeaway from his five-year stint at Orlando Pirates.
Makaringe had a decent time at Pirates, helping the team account for several trophies, including two Nedbank Cup trophies and three MTN8 titles.
He went on to join the CT City at the end of the 2023/24 Betway Premiership campaign after having limited game time as he could not pin down a first-team place at the star-studded Soweto giants.
His last season at Pirates saw him play in only 11 matches, and he scored one goal in all competitions at the club.
For him, moving to CT City was the most reasonable way to keep his upward trajectory, although staying could have been an option.
WHAT MAKARINGE SAID ABOUT HIS STINT AT ORLANDO PIRATES
In an interview with FARPost, the 31-year-old revealed what he regards as the most valuable lesson from his stay at Pirates.
“I learnt a lot from Orlando Pirates. From coach [Jose] Riviero, I also learned a lot because they are a big team,” Makaringe said. “Leaving was the best option at that time, but I am very grateful for how they helped me develop that hunger to win.
“At Pirates, the motto is to win all. We didn’t do permutations. Stakes are always high. One lesson that maybe one took from the Pirates team is patience.
“There were moments where we were under pressure, but we could still behave in a proper way, to say, ‘let’s not rush, let’s not commit ourselves too early’.
“What I can say is you have to be an example to the other guys. Everyone has to be an example. There were young players who were still coming up, and we could not be bad role models.
“The lessons I learnt at Pirates shaped me and made me strong. I am a better person than before I arrived at Pirates. I’m less emotional and have a thicker skin.
“But if I was not given that opportunity, I don’t think I would have learnt those lessons anywhere else. So I’m very sober in my thinking, but we’ve seen these things happen before.”
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