Palacios: I’m still in charge
AUGUSTO Palacios will for the time being remain in charge of Orlando Pirates as the club’s hunt for a new coach continues.
The caretaker trainer told Sowetan yesterday that he was still the man at the helm until club chairman Irvin Khoza pronounces the candidate to take over the vacant post left by Muhsin Ertugral in November.
“At the moment yes, I am still in charge or do you have some news for me?” asked Palacios tongue-in-cheek yesterday.
He also confirmed that he will be on the dugout when the Buccaneers take on Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng tomorrow (7.30pm).
Khoza told a weekend newspaper a number of candidates had already gone through the interview process and that the club was currently looking at six names who are vying for the plum job.
He did not reveal the identities of the short-listed hopefuls, suffice to say two were locals and the other four were foreigners.
Sowetan, meanwhile, has learnt from reliable sources that the Buccaneers were courting ex-TP Mazembe and Mali coach Patrice Carteron and former Ghana and Algeria mentor Milovan Rajevac, but money was an obstacle.
“The names of Carteron and Serbian Rajevac were mentioned but both these guys wanted big monies,” said our informant.
Carteron, 46, left former African champions Mazembe last month after turning down an offer to extend his contract at the DR Congo outfit and has since joined Egyptian Premier League side Wadi Degla until the end of the season.
Rajevac, on the other hand, quit as Algeria head coach in October last year and it is not clear if the 63-year-old is still job-hunting.
Meanwhile, it has been business as usual for Palacios during the Afcon-enforced break. “We played six friendly matches trying to instil the winning mentality into our players,” the Peruvian told Sowetan yesterday.
“It is going to be a difficult game against Stars in Rustenburg on Wednesday [tomorrow] because everyone wants to accumulate as many points as possible
The names of Carteron and Rajevac were mentioned
in the second round.”
Palacios said the new players were fitting in and “it’s possible” that some could make the bench or even the starting line-up. “The chairman [Khoza] introduced new players to the team last Thursday and he addressed everyone very well on what is expected of them playing for this club.”
The new acquisitions are Marc van Heerden, James Okwuosa and Thembinkosi Lorch (all from Chippa United) and Dove Wome from SuperSport United.
The Buccaneers begin mid-season at 10th place on the Absa Premiership log – seven points adrift of pace-setters SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits and Cape Town City (all 25 points).