I like the pressure of playing for Kaizer Chiefs, says Gaston Sirino as Nedbank Cup final looms

The autumn sun shone brightly over Kaizer Chiefs’ base in Naturena on Monday morning, as midfielder Gaston Sirino soaked it all in.

The Uruguayan addressed the media with composure and clarity, fielding questions with confidence. His responses were articulate — impressive for someone who has only recently learned English. It was as though he had anticipated the questions, hardly hesitating as he expressed himself.

Sirino has shown that same character since his arrival in South Africa, where he achieved domestic success with Mamelodi Sundowns, winning every trophy available. His performances were so impressive that, at one stage, there were even calls for him to be naturalised and represent Bafana Bafana—though that never materialised.

His unexpected move from Mamelodi Sundowns to Chiefs last season surprised many, given his success with the Tshwane giants. However, despite Sundowns’ recent dominance, Chiefs remain arguably the biggest club in the country, thanks to their rich history and vast support base.

Sirino understands that well. As a result, he is unfazed by the pressure that comes with playing for the Glamour Boys — a calmness he displayed at the club’s media day.

“I like the pressure. I am happy here and it’s good to be here. The next game is a good occasion to make history,” Sirino said.

The midfielder is not only finding joy at Chiefs, but also in South Africa more broadly — some of his children were born in the country. Yet, his affection goes beyond personal reasons.

“I am very happy, and so is my family,” he added. “Everyone feels like family now, and that makes me really happy.”

While Sirino is enjoying life off the pitch, Chiefs are going through a difficult spell. They currently sit ninth in the Betway Premiership with 30 points, level with eighth-placed Chippa United, who have a game in hand.

It’s a far cry from the standards Sirino was used to at Sundowns, where he won seven consecutive league titles.

He acknowledges that he could have contributed more to the team’s fortunes, having scored three goals and provided three assists in 23 matches so far.

“I want to do more. Sometimes we play well but don’t get results — we don’t assist or score,” he explained. “But I need to focus on myself — contribute more by assisting or scoring — something I hope will improve next season.”

The transition from Sundowns to Chiefs has been significant for Sirino. He was quick to identify the differences between the two clubs.

“At Sundowns, it’s all good players. Here, we’ve had a lot of injuries,” Sirino said. “The squad is smaller. Sometimes (Inacio) Miguel or someone else is injured, and we need more depth.

“Bradley Cross, who’s a left-back, sometimes plays as a centre-back. At Sundowns, they have several top players for each position. The quality here is also good, but we need more depth.”

Chiefs will need to make that quality count as they aim to end a 10-year trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates in Durban on Saturday.

Sirino and his teammates are looking to bounce back after losing to Pirates in the league last weekend, a result that all but ended their already faint league hopes.

At 34, Sirino brings vital experience to the cup final, having played in and won several during his time at Sundowns. He knows what it takes to triumph on the big stage.

“I think we need to fight more, especially in the game. We must focus and play together to win. We need to fight more in training too,” he said.