Chiefs, Bucs: deafening silence
PALACIOS: STAND-IN COACH HAS HAD ENOUGH
Krol, Sredojevic could be in line to make returns.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fans must be curious as their teams remain inactive in the transfer market. Expectations were that the Soweto giants would be the most active during the transfer window period, but the pair are uncommonly quiet.
Pirates were expected to have appointed a new coach by now as Augusto Palacios, who took over following Muhsin Ertugral’s resignation in September, made it clear he had had enough.
For all his experience in the domestic game, Palacios sounded like a man who would rather be relieved of the senior team duties before the Absa Premiership resumes in February.
His words at a postmatch interview after Bucs’ last match last year suggested that for the new coach to survive, he would have to embark on a big clear-out.
“I will be honest – I don’t know some players who were in the team. Some of them are here as prospects but the team need players with a lot of character,” said Palacios after a 2-1 defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic.
A number of coaches have been linked to the Pirates job, including former Free State Stars mentor, Giovanni Solinas.
The names of former coaches Rudi Krol and Milutin Sredojevic have also been thrown around but nothing has come out of Parktown except for Bucs’ administrator Floyd Mbele’s non-specific “we will make an announcement when we have hired the coach” response.
At Amakhosi, the expectation was that the team would look to bring in a proven goal-scorer to bolster their misfiring front line. Steve Komphela’s under-performing team only confirmed earlier in the month that two strikers and two defenders would be on trial, but nothing more has been released.
PSL minnows Baroka FC have however been more active, redeploying Kgoloko Thobejane to the MultiChoice Diski Challenge team and releasing a few players including fan favourite, Tshepo Matete.
Bakgakga have also brought in former Bucs striker Helder Pelembe, Siphamandla Sangweni and Mxolisi Kunene.