Orlando Pirates squeezed into the top three in the final weeks of the DSTV Premiership last season. For a club like Pirates, it is less than stellar. The management has decided to do something about it to avoid a reoccurrence in the upcoming season.
Reports have it that part of the decisions taken concerns the future of Josef Zinnbauer. This decision comes after the club made an addition to the technical team. Former Golden Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi joined the coaching department to boost performances next season.
Zinnbauer may be on his way out, but club legend Jerry Sikhosana strongly feels that he deserves more time at the club.
“I can be on the fence on that one because I still believe that Zinnbauer hasn’t been given enough time. If you want to judge a coach, give him a pre-season and allow him to create his team, allow him to sign his players, then you can wait and see,” Sikhosana said, addressing the media in Durban.
Sikhosana didn’t pull back when commenting on reports linking Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela to the top job. In defending Zinnbauer, he said fans were going for the easy option by blaming the coach. This he says fans do despite internal factors making the coach’s job difficult.
“If Komphela he is going to Pirates, I would love Dr Irvin Khoza to open English classes because we know him. He must not confuse players, but on a serious note, as much as he is one of our good coaches, I don’t think he will be good enough for a team like Pirates.”
“Sometimes you can always blame a coach but also the playing personal. When you have a team like Orlando Pirates, and then you rope in seven or eight players from one team, it is always going to be a dicey situation for a coach.
“There will be differences among players because at one stage the club was referred to as Wits-Pirates, and that to me had an impact, because when Thulani Hlatshwayo came in then he became a captain and Happy Jele was sidelined.
While many continue to stake a claim for Zinnbauer, the writing is clear on the wall and it looks rather likely the club will part ways with the German tactician. Orlando Pirates did not exactly impress last term and a change in the coaching department could yet be on the cards.