WITHERING HOPES HAUNT THE BUCS

It was good being on leave. I had enough rest and the break gave me ample time to catch up with those I have not seen in ages. But even nicer was that I could do some reading. I even picked up a few new proverbs to add to my limping vocabulary. Among my new finds are: Were it not for hopes, the heart would break (Thomas Fuller); Hope is the poor man’s bread (George Herbet); Hope is the last thing to be lost.

And why am I boring you with this information? Only the millions of South Africans who swear by the skull and cross bones will understand what I’m talking about.

Orlando Pirates supporters and fans always live on hope and it seems this is another season in which they will require a copious amount of hope . This mainly because they will be hoping that their beloved club win the league and break the drought that has lasted five seasons.

One of their hopes at the beginning of this campaign was that they will at least snatch one knockout tournament since they have last done so in 2000, when they won the BP Top 8. But as we have witnessed, that hope has since disappeared into thin air.

This is certainly not something to enthuse about when you are celebrating your 70th anniversary. Back to their league efforts: Pirates started the season all wobbly but hope was restored when Owen dDa Gama took over the coaching reins.

A string of great results from the new mentor reinvigorated hope. But the last four matches, in which they scrambled five points from a possible 12, have again cast doubts on the Buccaneers’ title hopes.

Is there any hope that the Ghost will rise and whizz past Santos, Ajax Cape Town and SuperSport United to claim a podium finish and the R10m prize money with seven matches left?

Well, a look at their remaining matches tells us that they will need to suffocate their own child when they host Jomo Cosmos on Saturday. By beating Cosmos, Pirates could well have snuffed the life out of their own as Ezenkosi face the relegation gallows.

Then, seven days later, Bucs will be at home again to entertain United in a match that might well decide which way the wind is blowing. The next assignment will also be at home to stubborn Free State Stars. The great Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs is next and then another potential league decider will be in Cape Town against Ajax.

Pirates will complete their season with a home fixture against unpredictable AmaZulu. Given the circumstances above, is there any hope of salvaging something to cap 70 fantastic years of football history? I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that some hearts are going to be broken out there and some people will lose the only thing that keeps them going – hope.