In the latest edition of Negotiating Behind The Scenes, KickOff catches up with former Orlando Pirates player Patrick Malokase.
Malokase joined the Sea Robbers at the beginning of 2010, signing from Bloemfontein Celtic.
Who I signed for?
"I was very excited when I signed for Pirates, they had been on my back from way back. Two years before signing.
"So obviously, on the back of my mind I always knew I would play for Pirates. So when the time came it was a dream come true. It was an easy decision to make.
"I signed with Pirates in January 2010. What happened is, that my contract with Celtic was ending in June, and I was in my last six months. So I signed a pre-contract with Pirates."
How did you find out?
"Through Floyd Mbele, but the main person who orchestrated my move to Pirates was Bra Stan Tshabalala."
Where did you meet?
"In Sandton. I was just walking around when I bumped into Bra Stan, he said to me, 'When are you coming to join us?' He asked me about my contract at Celtic and so on."
Who was there?
"During the negotiations, it was me, a close friend of mine Thato Matuka, I didn't have an agent or a company that managed me, so he was the one who handled my transfer and negotiation.
"So it was only the two of us, and Bra Stan who asked us what it would take for me to join Pirates, and he communicated my request to the chairman.
"After that meeting, there was another one at the Pirates offices in Parktown where we met with Floyd, and signed the contract."
What surprised you?
"The move made me realize Pirates is a big club, how they do things, how they manage the club. It's an institution, not a simple football club where a chairman was in charge of everything. It was high-end professionalism.
"At Celtic, we had a very slim management, whereby from time to time I could meet with the chairman."
Did you get what you wanted?
"Honestly, I got everything that I had asked for. Even my move from Pirates to Platinum Stars went smooth, it was easy."
Did you see out the contract?
"My contract was three years, but I spent only two years with Pirates, and then went to Platinum Stars.
"The second season I didn't get much game-time, there was a new coach Julio Leal with new ideas, philosophy, and style."
What you would change?
"I don't think I would have changed anything because I got everything that I wanted at that time. Pirates came with good opportunities and good benefits, so I wouldn't change that for anything."