The suggestion that Orlando Pirates should bow their heads in gratitude to rival clubs for their potential first league title in 14 years is not merely patronising—it is a dangerous distortion of competitive football that threatens to normalise a culture of entitlement and excuse-making across the Betway Premiership. This narrative, peddled by pundits who claim Pirates’ success hinges on the performances of Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, and SuperSport United, fundamentally disrespects the work done at Mayfair and absolves other clubs of their own failures.
Let’s call it what it is: a backhanded compliment designed to undermine Pirates’ legitimate progress. When Jose Riveiro’s side dismantled Cape Town City 4-0 in mid-February, Monnapule Saleng and Evidence Makgopa did not need Sundowns to drop points that weekend—they were busy carving open defences with precision. The real story is not that rivals have “helped” Pirates; it is that Pirates have refused to fold under pressure in a season where Sundowns, for the first time in years, have shown vulnerability. The same voices now whispering about gratitude were silent when Sundowns relied on a deflected own-goal from Richards Bay to stay top in December. If any team owes gratitude, it is the chasing pack who have benefitted from the likes of Kaizer Chiefs losing four of their last seven matches—a collapse that has nothing to do with Bucs and everything to do with Nasreddine Nabi’s inability to organise a midfield.
The implication of this dependency rhetoric is far more corrosive than a few offhand comments. It creates a psychological crutch: when Mamelodi Sundowns stumble against a struggling Royal AM, the chatter shifts to “Pirates got lucky” rather than “Pirates capitalised on consistency.” That framing normalises a league-wide acceptance of mediocrity disguised as camaraderie. It suggests that a title is a borrowed trophy, not a earned crown. Meanwhile, players like Deon Hotto have logged more minutes than any outfield player in the top six, and Nkosinathi Sibisi has marshalled a defence that conceded the fewest goals in the first half of the campaign. That is not charity—it is graft.
When the final whistle blows on the 2024-25 season, the Betway Premiership trophy will land in the hands of a club that won 21 of its 30 league matches, not a club that got a string of fav