Sihle Nduli credits Orlando Pirates support for rapid recovery from ankle injury

Orlando Pirates midfielder Sihle Nduli says the backing of his team-mates helped him stay positive after suffering a grade 3 ankle ligament tear against AmaZulu in August.

Nduli was initially expected to spend about four months out of action, but returned to light running and individual training after only five weeks. The 30-year-old thanked the Orlando Pirates medical team for acting quickly and said he hoped to resume full training and competitive football soon.

“It was painful, especially the way I got injured. But having my teammates and everyone around me supporting me helped me understand that these things happen in football and that I needed to stay strong,” Nduli said.

“What can I say? Sustaining injuries is part of football. The people close to me stood by my side and helped me remain strong during a difficult time.”

The injury was Nduli’s second significant setback in less than a year. The former Stellenbosch player was sidelined for several months after sustaining a long-term injury during Orlando Pirates’ match against Golden Arrows in November last year.

Despite the time he has spent out, Nduli said competition for places in midfield remained healthy, with players in the position committed to the same team aims.

“I think everyone who is there [is] the same; whoever is playing, it is like I am playing. We are one team.”

Orlando Pirates surrendered the MTN8 trophy they won last season after losing 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in the final at the weekend.

However, Nduli believes the Buccaneers have sufficient depth to improve on last season’s achievements in the competitions that remain this campaign. He also pointed to the continuity within the squad, along with the arrival of a few new players, as a reason for his optimism.

“It’s easy because the team is still the same and we added few new players, so we have a chance of doing more than we did last season.”

Nduli’s comments were reported by Sowetan.