Johannesburg — Miguel Timm might have become a fan-favourite at Orlando Pirates but he remains a team player through and through.
Last winter, Pirates reportedly hijacked Timm’s move to Sekhukhune United as he joined the club instead of Babina Noko after leaving Marumo Gallants in a bizarre move.
So the fact that Pirates seemed to be his second choice instead of priority No 1 wasn’t well received by the fans and they gave him a lukewarm reception in the first few games of the season.
But Timm quickly proved to ‘the Ghost’ that he was one of them, playing a crucial role in their march to the MTN8 crown – which was their first trophy in two seasons.
Since then, the fans have warmed to the late bloomer, chanting his name “Timmmm” in a low-toned hum with every pass or tackle in Pirates’ engine room.
That hum is similar to the one ‘the Ghost’ used for former captain and double treble winner Ace Manyisa – ‘Aceee” – who was operating in Pirates engine room just like Timm.
The 31-year-old is proud of his efforts but he believes in team work more than individual praise.
“I don’t think I can be compared to Ace; I think he’s won a lot more than I have done at the time I’ve been here. I still have a long way to go. It was not my intention to become a favourite,” Timm said.
“I always wanted to contribute to the team in every possible way and always give my all. I think I’ve always been a team player and I want to continue that way.
“That’s (the fans’ chant) an extra bonus for me. I would like to share my energy with my teammates when it’s tough.”
And while Pirates have had an impressive term – winning the MTN8, finishing second in the league and reaching the Nedbank Cup final where they’ll face Sekhukhune United on Saturday – that’s not enough.
“No (it was not a perfect season). It’s an honest answer. As much as we were happy to qualify for the Champions League, one of the targets we set as a group was to compete for the title,” Timm said.
“The positive we’ll take is that a solid foundation has been set for the future, and we’ll give it a go next season. I’m not saying we are not happy with reaching two finals, but we have the capacity to do more.”
The team could still top off that rebuilding phase by winning a domestic double if they beat Babina Noko at Loftus.
Fortunately for Pirates, they have Timm, who has a special relationship with the cup, having won it with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in 2021 before losing in the final with Gallants to Sundowns last year.
Timm, who's also nominated for the Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament, is not riding on being lucky charm though, instead, he wants the team to continue – like they’ve been doing – to fight together for a common goal.
“I don’t believe in luck; I think it’s the efforts of things and not me bringing in luck. I think when I came, I came with a winning mentality even though I was coming from a smaller organisation,” Timm said.
“I think I have joined a bunch of players, technical team and institution that wants and deserves to win. We put in the effort every day. I think this is just the start and the future is bright for us.”
IOL Sport