Menzi Magubane
When growing up, Thulani “Tyson” Hlatshwayo’s dream was to one day play for his favourite team, Orlando Pirates.
That dream came true at the onset of this season after the Buccaneers broke the bank to buy him from the now defunct Bidvest Wits to induct him into the heart of their defence.
The centre back made his Pirates debut against Cape Town City in the MTN8 and he was given the responsibility to lead his teammates by coach Josef Zinnbauer. The German handed him the captaincy in the absence of Happy Jele.
Many criticised Zinnbauer’s decision to continue giving the new man the armband even after Jele returned.
In response, Zinnbauer said Hlatshwayo is a national team captain and he saw it fitting to make him captain of his club as well.
The 31 year old’s dream, however, quickly turned into a nightmare. He is enduring an awful start to his career at his dream club.
Opposition strikers have identified him as the weakest link at the back for Pirates and they have been targeting him and he has often cracked under pressure.
His awful form this season reached its pinnacle on Saturday, in a game against Swallows, when he scored a beautiful goal – but unfortunately in his own net.
Now, the skipper has been targeted by social media users on Twitter who are furious with his costly schoolboy errors.
“I know it was Thulani Hlatshwayo’s dream to play for Orlando Pirates but sometimes dreams should just remain as dreams,” tweeted one fan.
“The thinking was that Thulani Hlatshwayo was going to solidify the central defence, not add more problems. He’s just not helping,” wrote another.
Pirates ultimately managed to rescue a point away at Swallows with the match ending in a 1-1 tie.
“Yoh, but Thulani Hlatshwayo is a pandemic. Kunini lomuntu esibulalisa (how many times has he cost us)?,” another fan wrote after the game..
Others said Tyson should thank his ancestors that fans are not allowed at the stadiums, otherwise he would have felt what it means to play for Pirates.
Picture source:@timeslive
