Palacios still discovering stars

If there is anyone who knows the Orlando Pirates structures well it is Augusto Palacios, who is the director of development at the club.

Having arrived in the country back in the 1980s as a player, Palacios has dedicated his football life to the Soweto giants and has seen many young talents come and go at the club.

The late Gift Leremi, Joseph Makhanya and Lebogang Mokoena are some of the stars who graduated to the senior team and did extremely well in the black and white colours of the Buccaneers.

More recently, Palacios has seen the likes of Innocent Maela, Mthokozisi Dube and Lyle Foster (above) emerge.

At the age of 66, many might think Palacios is about to call it a day. However, his love and passion for the game won’t let him because of his drive for producing quality players for Pirates.

“There are plenty of players coming up. We care so much about development and we want to see these boys grow and do wonders once they get into the senior team,” said Palacios.

“It’s a hard job, but with dedication and determination we are able to work hard and ensure we produce good players.”

Competitions such as the MultiChoice Diski Challenge have given a platform to young players such as Mbulu and Foster to get recognition. Palacios also believes the Under-17 Gauteng International Future Champions tournament is another competition that opens doors for youngsters and helps them to become familiar with playing against their counterparts from other countries.

“It’s good for the players to play in tournaments such as the MDC and the Future Champs, that is where they really get tested. And most importantly, when we see they are consistent in their performances and deliver, we manage to bring them into the senior team, like we did with Foster.”