Cape Town - Former Orlando Pirates player and assistant coach Teboho Moloi has urged the Buccaneers community to rally around Thamsanqa Gabuza.
According to Moloi, once Gabuza reaches top form, he will be a decisive player in games on the continent. Pirates will feature in the next edition of the CAF Champions League after qualifying as a result of their second-place finish in the 2017/18 Absa Premiership.
Gabuza picked up a two-match suspension after throwing his jersey into the crowd and leaving the field of play spontaneously after supporters called for him to be taken off in the Buccaneers' 2-1 win over Black Leopards.
“You know to play for Pirates you must have a big heart because you must understand Pirates supporters were spoilt from previous glories,” Moloi said, according to KickOff website.
“At Pirates if given the jersey you must perform. How it was handled, I feel that he needed to be ... what can I say ... I feel that he needed to be protected, because we were all aware this was coming.
“And how did we protect him? We need to rally around him, protect him, and make sure that we get the maximum of Gabuza. Because you know with Gabuza if you go to Africa he'll win it for you. He comes home, you are not so sure ... it's a 50-50 chance.
“But you know the boy has the talent, he has the work rate and he has everything. Let us not focus on his work rate but let us focus on his weaknesses and improve those weaknesses.
“What is that we can improve from him? How can we protect him? How can we rally around him and make sure that he understands also the pressure that comes with wearing the Pirates jersey?”