'I want Orlando Pirates' Jele to win first trophy as captain' - Bidvest Wits defender Hlatshwayo

BetOdds PSL Orlando Pirates Happy Jele Bidvest Wits Thulani Hlatshwayo

The experienced defender praised the Bucs central defender, who is one of the longest-serving players in the PSL

Bidvest Wits captain Thulani 'Tyson' Hlatshwayo would like to see his friend Happy Jele lead Orlando Pirates to glory.

The Bafana Bafana international made his professional debut against Jele's Pirates in a MTN8 quarter-final match in 2009.

The two have gone on to compete for a spot in the Bafana squad and Hatshwayo has opened up on his friendship with the longest-serving player in the current Bucs team.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking to meet with him, [but] I got to like him," Hlatshwayo said on Far Post.

“He is driven by family; our wives and kids know each other – we’ve become good family friends.

"We speak quite often over the phone. He is a family man and a very loyal man. He is a genuine leader.

"He can adjust to any setting or conversation. He makes everyone comfortable around him."

Jele joined the Buccaneers from lower division side Walter Stars in 2006 and he appointed club captain during the 2017/18 season following the arrival of Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic.

Hlatshwayo, who is also Bafana captain, believes Jele’s discipline has kept him at the top of the domestic game, and he's won seven major trophies with Pirates before he was handed the captaincy.

“We have the same personality; we are both introverts," the tough-tackling defender added.

"Discipline, loyalty and consistency has kept him in the game for so long. I want him to win his first trophy as captain.”

Jele was a regular for Pirates as they became the first club since the inception of the PSL in 1996 to win three major trophies in a single season back-to-back.

The Soweto giants achieved this feat during the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 campaigns with Jele being used as a right-back at the time.

However, Jele tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his knee in 2011 and spent over a year in the infirmary after undergoing surgery.

Hlatshwayo praised his Pirates counterpart for showing determination as he marked his return from the injury with a goal against Black Leopards in a Telkom Knockout Cup clash in 2012.

“Looking at how bad the injury was and to be able to play as if nothing ever happened, he took rehab seriously. It shows determination,” he concluded.

2020-05-15 10:00:07

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