”Toothless Tigers” Orlando Pirates on Friday confirmed they had secured the services of a second leading striker — Bloemfontein Celtic’s Collins Chabalala.
The Buccaneers, who were toppled from their perch at the head of the Premier League log shortly before the mid-season break, recently signed Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvete in an attempt to halt the epidemic of missed scoring opportunities that has plagued them.
Pirates PRO Mike Modisane said the signings showed the club ”meant business” — both in the Premier League and in Africa’s Champions League in the New Year and would add bite to their otherwise fluid play.
Celtic, who annexed the Supa8 Cup for their first major trophy in 20 years, have since struggled to maintain their early-season momentum — and they made concerted efforts to retain Chabalala’s services.
But the strong-running Chabalala’s contract with the Bloemfontein club expires in June — and they could not match the lucrative terms Pirates offered the striker.
Meanwhile, reports have linked several other prominent South African players with Pirates, but Modisane said no other deals had been concluded. – Sapa