Orlando Pirates: The Buccaneers team up with Chelsea
The two football giants have teamed up with Shield to unearth the next generation.
Orlando Pirates have teamed up with English Premier League champions, Chelsea for an initiative that will give up and coming football players an opportunity to join up with the Buccaneers reserve team in the Momentum Diski Challenge (MDC).
The Soweto giants are the latest to join in the partnership between Chelsea and Shield deodorant, who’s Shield Sibonis’iDiski competition which was launched last year saw three youngsters get an opportunity to train in the English club’s Cobham facility.
The three youngsters will now be under the sharp eye of Chelsea’s youth coaches and former Bafana Bafana defender, Simphiwe Mkhonza, and only one will sign with the Pirates’ MDC side.
☠@orlandopirates is proud to announce our new campaign partnership with @Shield_ZA????????????The winner of the #MoveWithShield countrywide scouting competition will sign a 1-year contract with our MDC squad????????????
⚫⚪????⭐#OnceAlwayspic.twitter.com/bWhcGjAy1j— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) March 22, 2018
☠#MoveWithShield ⚫⚪????⭐#OnceAlways https://t.co/mGRgbzXP1b
— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) March 22, 2018
Former Pirates head coach and now head of youth development, Augusto Palacios was excited by the initiative.
“I think this opportunity is great,” he said.
“It means you are selected by your skill‚ and you’re coming to play for Orlando Pirates. Your life will change.
“And then from there why not say they can go on to play for the national team‚ by giving this foundation and opportunity to the player.
“But remember‚ we are talking about talent identification. Our job is to mould the tactical aspects.
“But what is more important is to identify this talent who sometimes we don’t see in the leagues.”
According to Chelsea senior development officer Steve Winnett, the English club’s involvement in the competition also puts them in a position to get their brand out there.
“From the Chelsea point of view we’re looking to engage internationally‚ build the fan base and take it form there,” he said.
“It’s quite a simple fit. It works well for Shield‚ and that’s our priority in a way. And if we get something from it‚ great.”
Trials for the competition will be held in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Durban.
