Jomo Sono has come under fire on social media for his unfiltered thoughts on Patrick Maswanganyi wearing Orlando Pirates' number 10 jersey.
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The story
Orlando Pirates fan favorite, Patrick Maswanganyi, donned storied Number 10 jersey for the first time against Disciples FC in the CAF Champions League, First Preliminary Round, etching his name among the Buccaneers' greatest.
The number 10 jersey at Pirates, famously worn by legends like Jomo Sono, saw Steve Lekoelea as the last player to regularly sport the famous digits in domestic league matches before a disciplinary issue in the 2001/02 season.
Since then, the number has appeared only intermittently, in CAF club competitions and Maswanganyi's scintilating form has earned him the honour of wearing it part time.
Maswanganyi's standout performance last season, which saw him bag 10 goals, and 12 assists for the Bucs, earned him the PSL Players' Player of the Season award, with the decision to give the 26-year-old the number proving to be a popular decision among fans.
In his usual straightforward manner, Sono expressed that while he has no issue with Maswanganyi wearing 10, he prefers the player not be compared to him.
"Don't compare him with me because you have compared a lot of them in the past, and they died," They all die after you compare them with me, and to be honest, you can't compare an elephant to an ant. This guy [referring to himself] was an elephant," says the legend to members of the media at Cosmos' sponsorship launch event.
The Jomo Cosmos head honcho also critiqued Tito's showboating, stating that it served no purpose as it did not contribute to the attack.
Read: Jomo Sono Weighs In On Maswanganyi Wearing The Iconic Number 10
A host of Orlando Pirates fans on the Twitter/X timeline didn't take kindly to Sono's comments on 'iAmbulance YaseThembisa'. Here's what they had to say:
Imagine an "ant" not even playing, but the stadium chanting his name "Weh Tito", nisazokhala maElephant ??. https://t.co/Tao0HdJzb0 pic.twitter.com/Igtbs1G3ea
— IG: @MissPalulu/PalulusKitchen (@MissPalulu) September 8, 2024
Tito you don't have to leave your wedding to get proper recognition boy????♥? you're the best ????@orlandopirates what's the reason of retiring that jersey? Madrid and Barca nvr done that to jersey 7 and 10
— maerro Nxumalo (@MaerroNxumalo) September 9, 2024
Who's jomo after all? pic.twitter.com/CTDieZGIv2
Jomo started by criticizing Saleng, and now it's Tito. Next, he'll go after Rele. I need him to act like a father who wants his sons to be more successful than he is. This behavior of his, acting like he's working with Junior Nkululeko, needs to stop.
— Hey nina MTN 8 Nedbank Cup Champ (@Sir_M_Charles) September 8, 2024
The only time Jomo Sono saw Tito is when he turned with the ball backwards against Cape Town City? That's when I decided not to entertain him.
— B.E.N.Z.O (@Benzo_Ndlovu) September 8, 2024
This is just pure hate…Tito has done a lot for Orlando Pirates in these two seasons.
No slander against Tito will be tolerated here. pic.twitter.com/J2e3xJgqi4
— ??T L O U?? (@PelaneMT) September 8, 2024
Hands off Tito. Stop putting him under unnecessary pressure. Let him walk his own journey pic.twitter.com/W0hOFWiVo9
— ???????????? (@ZukzFranco) September 8, 2024
We respect Mr Jomo Sono. We respect the contribution he made during his time but he must now not provoke us by discouraging our players.
— Wandile Ncube ???? (@Wandi_SA) September 8, 2024
The remarks he made about Tito and how he switched channels to English football is nonsense. We don't owe the Sono family anything. Jomo must… pic.twitter.com/okZ246EuqL
Tito in his first season with pirates archived more than what the elephant did in his pirates career ?? pic.twitter.com/wZzP5B0SLU
— Lutendo (@JosephKrobbie) September 8, 2024
They can NEVER make me hate YOU Tito Maswanganyi keep DANCING Buccuneer??????...
— Goodwill (@Skhu_Bucs) September 8, 2024
JOMO SONO akahambe ayozingwaya elitsheni!!!!#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/3cSDWj8kbc
The issue isn't about Tito vs Jomo it's about Jomo disrespecting an Orlando Pirates player… even if it was Makgopa the fact that he's speaking bad about him is wrong, we cannot allow that. He can always make his point without talking bad about the player.
— ISHMAEL ?????????????????? (@mr_shimmy) September 8, 2024
Patrick Tito Maswanganyi. ????????????
— Monwabisi Kete ???? (@MonwabisiKete) September 8, 2024
Orlando Pirates Jersey Number 10
Spatial awareness.?
Passing accuracy.?
Speed.?
Tito is not Jomo Sono, and Jomo Sono is not Tito. Both are exceptional football players with distinct styles and strengths.#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/9a47VG5p8x
Jomo Sono is our Legend.
— Constitution First ???? (@Constitution_94) September 8, 2024
No one must ever disrespect him
Only Kaizer Motaung can call him into order.
He has the birth right to call anyone who plays for Orlando Pirates an ant.
He can walk to the Pirates dressing room and yell at everyone who plays nonsense, including Tito… pic.twitter.com/Afsdx2gMzz
Lol also Twitter fans who were asking who Thalente Mbatha and Thabiso Lebitso were last year are telling people Jomo Sono shouldn't be talking football. This app doesn't have real people.
— A Dog That Bites (@SkepeMatsebane) September 9, 2024
????????
"if Tito Maswanganyi wants number 10, he must first play with Pele." - Jomo Sono pic.twitter.com/JzgMrxwbKR
— Shad Maoka (@archangelshad_m) September 8, 2024
