Hlatshwayo deserves that Bucs armband  

But, as much as there was negativity flowing around the streets of social media, there were other people who honestly thought giving Tyson the captain belt is the right decision.

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I also really don’t see anything wrong with that decision. Firstly, who better than Hlatshwayo was the right man to captain the club, in the absence of Happy Jele?

You look at Pirates squad without Jele, though he is now back, and you immediately notice that there is no one in the squad that has the perfect CV and the ability to captain the team.

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Ok, some people might argue thatNtsikelelo Nyauza has been a skipper before and he has been at the club for a long time to know what it means to lead such a huge team.

However, let’s be real. There is no way that Nyauza can lead Pirates the way Hlatswayo can.

Scratch out Nyauza’s service at the team and just compare the two players. Get me, I’m just talking about the attributes of being a good leader here, not their performances.

Ok, here is my second point.  Hlatswayo is a national team captain and without any doubt gives him a plus.

If you look at the way he has been marshalling the Bucs back four in the last two matches you will know what I’m talking about.

He has done that at Bidvest Wits with aplomb and I think he will continue doing that at the Buccaneers.

Being a captain of a team is not entirely based on the number of years you’ve been at the club or how well you know the team’s culture like some other people have suggested.

As much as it’s about being competent, I believe it’s all about having someone who can inspire confidence in the team, able to handle pressure, a good communicator and another important factor is being mentally strong.

These are some of the qualities carried by Hlatshwayo and I believe that is why Zinnbauer has put his trust on him. I look at Tyson and all I see is someone like Lucas Radebe, one of the best captains the country has ever seen.

I would honestly give Hlatshwayo the nod every time to lead the club.

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