Chaine Warns Pirates: Defending the Treble Will Require a New Mentality
Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine believes the Buccaneers cannot simply rely on the formula that delivered a historic treble last season as they prepare to defend their Betway Premiership crown.
Pirates enjoyed a remarkable 2025/26 campaign, lifting the MTN8, Carling Knockout and Betway Premiership trophies to complete a memorable treble.
But Chaine insists the new season presents a completely different challenge.
The Buccaneers are no longer the team chasing the champions. They enter the 2026/27 campaign as the side everyone else wants to beat.
Pirates begin their league title defence against newly promoted Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday at 15:00, and Chaine says the champions must approach the campaign with a fresh outlook.
“A different mindset, different season. What worked in 2025/26 won’t work in 2026/27. More from ourselves, more from everyone that is connected to Orlando Pirates,” Chaine told reporters at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg.
The goalkeeper believes becoming the hunted requires more than simply maintaining last season’s standards.
“The important thing is a different mindset, a mindset of achieving even greater things. A mindset that now we are the chased and we are not chasing. It requires a different, overall perspective of what you are coming up with.”
Pirates Refuse to Make the League the Only Target
Despite the added pressure that comes with defending the championship, Chaine says Pirates are not allowing the league title to become the sole measure of their success.
Instead, the goalkeeper believes the club’s ambitions must remain bigger than any individual trophy.
“Winning the league championship is not just about the trophy. We have goals, we have aspirations within the season and when you walk towards that, that’s the most important thing.”
For Chaine, setting ambitious targets from the outset can ultimately lead to success rather than treating the league trophy as the only destination.
Pirates will therefore begin their title defence knowing that every opponent will be motivated to dethrone the champions.
After conquering South African football on three fronts last season, the challenge now is to prove that the Buccaneers can sustain that level of dominance while carrying the expectations that come with being the team to beat.
