Durban City captain Siphamandla Ncanana has moved to clarify his recent comments about Orlando Pirates, insisting they were taken out of context and were never intended to disrespect one of South Africa’s biggest football clubs.
Ncanana found himself at the centre of attention after remarks made following a Man of the Match performance in Durban City’s 0-0 draw at Orlando Amstel Arena in May, stating for him “Pirates is just a name” – which sparked backlash among supporters.
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The comments even appeared in Pirates’ documentary “Bucs Camp: We Fight Till The End”, where Pirates Director of Football Mpumi Khoza expressed his displeasure over the defender’s statements.
However, the captain has now explained that his words were misunderstood.
“What I can say is, maybe it was misinterpreted, I was not trying to be disrespectful or… I have something against Pirates, we all know Pirates is a big club in South African football,” said Ncanana.
‘When the whistle blows it’s 11 vs 11’
The Durban City skipper stressed that his comments were meant to reflect the competitive nature of football rather than diminish Pirates’ stature.
“Once the referee blows the whistle, it’s 11 v 11, it’s not about Pirates or anyone – I was not trying to be disrespectful,” he concluded.
City will travel to the Amstel Arena this weekend to once face off against the Buccaneers, in the quarter-final of the MTN8.