Manyisa and Meyiwa back at training

Midfielder Oupa Manyisa and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa have started their pre-season training with the rest of the squad.

 The national team players return to the team after being handed an extra four days off by the technical team following their Bafana Bafana duty. 

 The pair were part of this morning’s gym session at Virgin Active, under the watchful eye of fitness trainer Japhet Borges. 

“The break was quite short but I have a job to do,” said Manyisa. “But I understand, we have tough games coming up and we have to hit the ground running when the season starts, so it is normal for us to only get such a short break. We are also in the Champions League which means we will be playing before any of the other clubs at home so it is understandable why we have to get back to work.” 

 Meanwhile, Meyiwa said he is looking forward for yet another stellar season between the poles. He said the fact that the team failed to win silverware last season, has motivated him to work even harder. 

He said: “Playing for a big club comes with a lot of responsibility. It really doesn’t matter how well you play, at the end of the day its all about winning. At Pirates – all players must thrive to keep on improving and help the team win because there is no time relax. 

“Even though I am happy with my performance of last season, I know that I cannot relax on my laurels,” emphasised Meyiwa. 

“There’s always room for improvement and hence this year I’ll be setting myself even higher targets. “But it all starts here,” he added, talking about Pre-season training. 

“How well we do during the season will depend on how well we prepare hence I’m glad to be back.”