Pirates’ trophy-winning captain Sibisi has developed thick skin to deal with ‘boo boys’

Over the past few years, Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi has developed a thick skin.

He’s had to toughen up emotionally because of a barrage of criticism from Pirates supporters who sometimes unfairly criticise the Bafana Bafana centreback as the weak link in defence.

There have been mistakes and at times a lack of consistency, though generally Sibisi puts in a good shift and he insists he deserves to be at the club.

The former 30-year-old Lamontville Golden Arrows defender struggled to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up under former coach Jose Riveiro. He was given a sustained run by Abdeslam Ouaddou, especially after the departure of Mbekezeli Mbokazi to the US, in Bucs’ combination that unseated eight-time successive champions Mamelodi Sundowns for the Betway Premiership title last season.

Criticism followed him to Bafana, but former coach Hugo Broos backed Sibisi by consistently calling him up and he took him to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Ivory Coast in 2024 and Morocco in December and January and the Fifa World Cup in North America this year.

Sibisi was part of the Bafana squad at the recent 2026 Fifa World Cup and he played in the 2-0 opening defeat to Mexico at Estadio Azteca, where the team capitulated under pressure, then provided squad back-up to young first choices Mbokazi and Ime Okon in the remaining games.

Pirates’ captain led them to their first league title in 14 years in Ouaddou’s first campaign in 2025-26, which remarkably ended with a treble as they also won the MTN8 and Carling Knockout.

The defender said sometimes criticism is unfair, but he keeps learning and trying to get better.

Since the departure of Mbokazi to Chicago Fire in the US, he has established a solid central defensive partnership with Lebone Seema in front of goalkeeper Sipho Chaine that was key to Bucs’ excellent domestic season.

“I have grown used to the taking criticism,” he said ahead of Pirates’ MTN8 quarterfinal clash against Durban City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (3pm). “Sometimes it is fair, and in that case I take it as best as possible and try to be better. But sometimes it is not fair, and unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it.”

In the four years Sibisi has been at Pirates since he joined from Golden Arrows, he has contributed to their domestic cup success under Ouaddou’s predecessor Riveiro before a stellar 2025-26 for the club.

We have a couple of young players, Camren Dansin is one of them. There are a few of them who will be a revelation this season.

—  Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi

“It is just to keep on trusting and doing what I have been doing because I don’t think it is by chance that I am here. I have been working hard and I have won titles with the club,” the player raised in Mpophomeni in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, said.

“It has been a great four years for me. I am into my fifth season now and I have grown a thick skin. As long as it doesn’t affect my family, I will deal with it as best as possible.”

Pirates’ success of the last few years has been built on the back of a solid core of experienced campaigners like Sibisi, bolstered by a strong generation of talented young players, some scouted from elsewhere, though most having been produced by an academy programme clearly yielding results.

As a senior player, Sibisi enjoys the role of helping a good crop of young players coming through the ranks at the club to follow in the footsteps of exports Relebohile Mofokeng, who has signed for Royale Union St-Gilloise in Belgium after starring for Bafana at the World Cup; Mbokazi, and now Saudi-based Mohau Nkota.

“We have a couple of young players — Cemran Dansin is one of them. There are a few of them who will be a revelation this season. There is so much potential with the young group.”

Among inexperienced players being introduced by Pirates this season are Siyabonga Dladla, Kabelo Kgositsile, Simphiwe Masilela, Sbangani Zulu and Neo Rapoo. Sibisi is calling for patience for the emerging stars.

“We must be patient with them because not everyone is going to be a Relebohile Mofokeng, Mbekezeli Mbokazi or Mohau Nkota. They need time and I am pleading with our supporters to have the patience.

“As a group, whenever things are not going well, we have to stick together, and even with the young players we need to be patient because you can remember Tshepang Moremi suffered when he came to the team.

“We took a stand to say we can’t treat each other like that because as a family there will be problems and when there are problems we shouldn’t put them in public.”

Pirates will be battling in five competitions this season and they have enough depth considering players like Mpho Chabatsane, Nkosikhona Ndaba, Deano van Rooyen, Makhehlene Makhaula, Masindi Nemtajela, Andre de Jong, Kabelo Dlamini, Daniel Msendami and Evidence Makgopa were not even in the match-day squad in their season-opening 2-0 league win against Milford FC on Saturday.

“We have many tournaments this season and we are going to need everyone. Sometimes the guys who start the season are not the ones who are going to finish it.

“We know the qualities of the guys we have and it is for us to keep on pushing. We are going to need everyone throughout the season — the depth is there and there is a lot of energy from young players.”