Posted in Features, News on Nov 06, 2019.
With an Absa Premiership Derby looming against Orlando Pirates this coming Saturday at the FNB Stadium, we take a look back with some players who were key to Chiefs successes in past Derbies. David Obua is one of the players who created history as a Chiefs player when he helped Amakhosi defeat Pirates home and away in league games in the 2005/06 season as well as in the Absa Cup Final in the same season.
Speaking from his home in Kampala, Uganda, Obua who became the first Chiefs player in the PSL era to score in home and away league Derbies against Pirates when he did so in 2005/06 understands that it’s difficult to play the Derby. He was also the first Chiefs player to achieve such a feat since Doctor Khumalo in 1987, went back down memory lane speaking about those games against Chiefs archrivals.
“When I played for Chiefs, the Derby meant everything to me. I love the club Kaizer Chiefs and the way I was treated made me want to always do my best. I always gave everything I had for the team in every game. The Derby matches were overwhelmingly special, and we did our best to win those and bring joy to the fans as best as we could,” said Obua.
The Ugandan scored Chiefs’ first goal in the team’s 2-0 league triumph against Pirates at home on the 29th October and the only goal in a 1-0 away win on the 10th December 2005. He was overwhelmed at first as he reminisced back on his historical achievements.
“What we achieved in 2005/06 I can’t really explain. Pirates were and still are our biggest rivals and those games against them were always special. It meant a lot to us as it was the first time that we had managed to have beaten them home and away in league games since 1992. To become part of the history of the club was special. When you have love for the club it’s always special and you can’t erase those memories,” he reflected.
Obua never lost a Derby game that he featured in against Pirates. He played against them six times - winning two games in open play and the 2006 Absa Cup on penalties while drawing three other league games.
The former midfielder has also been keeping an eye on Chiefs good run of results this season and has been impressed by what he has seen. “I have watched the games and I see coach Ernst Middendorp is managing to get the guys to play to their strengths. Players are working tirelessly and should continue working as a team everyone is running for each other and when you do that as a group you get the results,” he said.
He offered some advice to current Chiefs team as they get ready to face Pirates on Saturday: “When I played against Pirates, I had a mixture of emotions in the build-up to the games.
“When you have two of the biggest clubs in South Africa with those number of fans and supporters, you have to give your best to defeat you rivals. A lot is at stake and the result can cost coaches their jobs. A lot of people put in a lot of work in the build-up to the derby. Focus on the job at hand and do you best. After you get the result you want it is always a good feeling to go home and relax,” he concluded.
It was with Ernst Middendorp as Chiefs coach in 2005/06 that Obua managed to achieve his unique treble of wins over Pirates, as well as his double feat of scoring goals in home and away league encounters against them that season.
Speaking from his home in Kampala, Uganda, Obua who became the first Chiefs player in the PSL era to score in home and away league Derbies against Pirates when he did so in 2005/06 understands that it’s difficult to play the Derby. He was also the first Chiefs player to achieve such a feat since Doctor Khumalo in 1987, went back down memory lane speaking about those games against Chiefs archrivals.
“When I played for Chiefs, the Derby meant everything to me. I love the club Kaizer Chiefs and the way I was treated made me want to always do my best. I always gave everything I had for the team in every game. The Derby matches were overwhelmingly special, and we did our best to win those and bring joy to the fans as best as we could,” said Obua.
The Ugandan scored Chiefs’ first goal in the team’s 2-0 league triumph against Pirates at home on the 29th October and the only goal in a 1-0 away win on the 10th December 2005. He was overwhelmed at first as he reminisced back on his historical achievements.
“What we achieved in 2005/06 I can’t really explain. Pirates were and still are our biggest rivals and those games against them were always special. It meant a lot to us as it was the first time that we had managed to have beaten them home and away in league games since 1992. To become part of the history of the club was special. When you have love for the club it’s always special and you can’t erase those memories,” he reflected.
Obua never lost a Derby game that he featured in against Pirates. He played against them six times - winning two games in open play and the 2006 Absa Cup on penalties while drawing three other league games.
The former midfielder has also been keeping an eye on Chiefs good run of results this season and has been impressed by what he has seen. “I have watched the games and I see coach Ernst Middendorp is managing to get the guys to play to their strengths. Players are working tirelessly and should continue working as a team everyone is running for each other and when you do that as a group you get the results,” he said.
He offered some advice to current Chiefs team as they get ready to face Pirates on Saturday: “When I played against Pirates, I had a mixture of emotions in the build-up to the games.
“When you have two of the biggest clubs in South Africa with those number of fans and supporters, you have to give your best to defeat you rivals. A lot is at stake and the result can cost coaches their jobs. A lot of people put in a lot of work in the build-up to the derby. Focus on the job at hand and do you best. After you get the result you want it is always a good feeling to go home and relax,” he concluded.
It was with Ernst Middendorp as Chiefs coach in 2005/06 that Obua managed to achieve his unique treble of wins over Pirates, as well as his double feat of scoring goals in home and away league encounters against them that season.
