Orlando Pirates Mofokeng

Mofokeng challenged by Shaune Mogaila of Royal AM. Photo: BackpagePix

How Orlando Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns to Relebohile Ratomo!

Orlando Pirates are planning for the next season and youngster Relebohile Ratomo also seems to know if he features in those plans or not.

Orlando Pirates Mofokeng

Mofokeng challenged by Shaune Mogaila of Royal AM. Photo: BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates are planning for the next season and youngster Relebohile Ratomo also seems to know if he features in those plans or not.

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Ratomo broke through to the Pirates first team towards the end of the previous season, thanks to some impressive performances for the DStv Diski Challenge side.

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The 17-year-old featured in a handful of matches for the Pirates first team and finished the season with two goals. Such performances have only heightened Ratomo’s reputation with the Buccaneers faithful, who had long been calling for his promotion into the senior side. Even after getting in to the match day squad, they still had to wait to see the player make his debut, as he started of as an unused substitute. 

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Ratomo eventually made his debut and has not looked back since, making two appearances in the DStv Premiership and scoring two goals while laying down one assist. That early promise has seen the Pirates management reportedly decide against loaning the youngster out next season, with the club believing that, with them competing in five competitions they will need as much depth in all departments. 

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Although Ratomo is now a darling of the Pirates supporters, it has been revealed that he could’ve easily been that of either the fan base of Kaizer Chiefs or Mamelodi Sundowns. It is believed that both Chiefs and Sundowns were eyeing the tricky winger while he was still at the School of Excellence, and they were actually the families preferred choice of the Buccaneers. 

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Speaking to Soccer-Laduma, Ratomo’s father Sechaba Mofokeng reveals how his son ended up at Pirates and not at Chiefs or Sundowns.

Why Ratomo ended up at Pirates and not Chiefs or Sundowns

“I’ll be honest, the other teams (Chiefs and Sundowns) were busy talking to the papers only. Then fortunately, Pirates showed how serious they were. They came to our home not once, not twice but many times, maybe five times. We kept postponing and telling the club that we are busy and unavailable. It was like that until I spoke to my wife and said ‘let’s give these people a chance and hear what they have to say”. Said Mofokeng. 

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Ratomo is also set to be registered as Mofokeng when he runs out with the Pirates jersey next season.