A player like departed club legend Happy Jele, according to former Orlando Pirates coach Augusto Palacios, merits something special from the team in appreciation of his commitment to the Soweto giants.
The 35-year-old defender left the Buccaneers last week after 16 years with the team.
Jele, who had previously played for Columbus FC and Thushaganang Swallows in his childhood, transferred from Walter Stars FC to Orlando Pirates in August 2006.
Happy Jele played with Orlando Pirates for nearly 400 games, collecting eight titles and scoring 18 goals.
When a player of Jele’s stature leaves a club where he has spent nearly all of his professional football career, according to Palacios in an interview with the Kickoff website, it is always quite emotional for everyone involved.
“It’s always very emotional when a player who has played lots of football for a club has to leave,” Palacios said.
“Doctor Khumalo, Teboho Moloi, Lucky Lekgwathi, Williams Okpara, now Happy Jele, it’s very bad.
“When Happy Jele came to Pirates, brought in by Walter Mokoena, he never played but was chosen by the chairman Irvin Khoza to fly to Miami for a two-week training camp together with Joseph Makhanya, Jabu Pule and Gift Leremi.
“We went there in Miami for a two-week training, which was the first time I met Happy.
“These players who were loyal to the club deserve a testimonial match. This is my personal opinion, not meant to offend anyone.
“It’s difficult not to recognise these people, especially myself who coached him, I recognise his loyalty and commitment to the club.
“I say salute to Happy Jele, another great player is leaving the club, I say well done to him.
“He is the type of player you need at every club, in other countries in South America and Europe it’s different because they would organise him a testimonial game,” Palacios concluded