Orlando Pirates have been criticised for potentially damaging their prospects of challenging Mamelodi Sundowns after the sale of Thembinkosi Lorch, but stats reveal otherwise.
At a time when Pirates are considered the closest team that can challenge Sundowns in the league, as they have already become cup specialists under Jose Riveiro, the club went on to transfer arguably their best player based on popularity, in the January transfer window.
There is a group of the Buccaneers supporters who believe the club weakened their ability to compete with Masandawana and at the same time strengthened their rival with the sale of Lorch.
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However, looking back at some of the big name transfers from Pirates to Sundowns, there is no conclusive statistical evidence to suggest that one team can rise and the other fall through the influence of one player going from one direction to the other.
A perfect example was Teko Modise, who was sidelined at Pirates before being sold to the Brazilians in January 2011.
During the same season, the Buccaneers went on to win the league title and Modise's absence was not felt the following season, as the Soweto giants defended their league title (and Modise was at the peak of his career at the Buccaneers).
The General's arrival at Sundowns did not immediately improve them either, as the Brazilians finished in fourth place on the table in the 2011/22 season before Modise joined Masandawana (the same season he was signed in January) and ended up fourth again on the log the following season in his first full campaign in the yellow kit.
Pirates were also not doing well in the league before transferring the late Gift Leremi to the Brazilians in July 2007 and after finishing fifth in his last season, his absence only affected them to finish eighth the following campaign.
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However, Lebohang Mokoena's transfer from the Sea Robbers to Masandawana seem to have affected the Soweto giants as they finished second in his last season (although he was no longer being played) and after Cheeseboy's departure, the Buccaneers immediately finished in fifth place in the 2009/10 campaign.
At the same time, the speedy winger's impact at Sundowns seemed to have been immediate, as Masandawana finished in ninth spot on the log a season before his arrival but improved up to second on the table in his first full campaign (2009/10).
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