The Orlando Pirates Chronicle
Market3 Aug 2026
Orlando Pirates say no — this time
The offer from Oxford United for Cemran Dansin was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Deon Hotto signs a new deal
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Deon Hotto commits to Orlando Pirates for another 2 years.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Words at Orlando Pirates training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Deon Hotto is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Words exchanged at Orlando Pirates
Patrick Maswanganyi and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Transfer targets3 Aug 2026
Door shut on Francisco Duque
Orlando Pirates asked and Cortulua said no without discussing a figure. It is the least ambiguous answer in football and the one clubs most often come back to test.
Market3 Aug 2026
Bloemfontein Celtic join the queue for Tapelo Xoki
Add another name to the list: Bloemfontein Celtic have asked the question everybody in the game has been asking about Tapelo Xoki. The answer from Orlando Pirates has not changed — yet.
Market3 Aug 2026
No place for Sihle Nduli in the plan
“The manager did not use many words, and he did not need to.” Sihle Nduli has his answer from Orlando Pirates; what he does with it is the next window’s story.
Market3 Aug 2026
Orlando Pirates and Deon Hotto are talking past each other
“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.
The dugout3 Aug 2026
Oswin Appollis knocks on the manager’s door
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Oswin Appollis trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
In brief
- Squad Oswin Appollis wants to know why he earns less
- Looking ahead Orlando Pirates host Platinum Stars