The right man for the Pirates job
Ertugral qualified to win the league
Mazola Molefe
ORLANDO Pirates have kept us guessing over the past two weeks with regards to the exact date they will unveil their plans and intentions for the upcoming season, which will in all likelihood kick off late next month because of the Rio Olympics.
But there are no illusions about how big the 2016/17 campaign is for the club as the Buccaneers turn 80.
A new coach in Muhsin Ertugral has come in on a threeyear contract replacing the tinkering Eric Tinkler and, as much as the Turkish mentor has a record of winning domestic cups, the holy grail of South African football, the Premier League title, has eluded him.
Nothing will be more satisfying for Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza than clinching the championship, but is Ertugral the right man for the task at hand?
Absolutely, and here are just three reasons why.
Convincing tactical acumen. Ertugral is in many ways a massive upgrade in the Pirates dugout compared with his predecessor Tinkler, who was often questioned by fans and was even nicknamed ‘Toddler’ because supporters were of the view that the gig was just too big for him.
While the Buccaneers endured a roller-coaster of a season by reaching two cup finals – the Confederation Cup and Nedbank Cup – and failing to win either of them, Ertugral was helping Mpumalanga Black Aces, who have since been sold to John Comitis and renamed Cape Town City, punch above their weight. He guided them to a fourth-place finish in the league, above both Pirates and rivals Kaizer Chiefs.
Aces were the surprise package this season and few saw them coming.
Under Ertugral, Pirates could hold the same status, but it is expected. Makes sense, then, to hire a man who is so passionate about SA football and its development and is also well aware of the need to collect silverware at a big club.
The coach is yet to speak officially in a press conference setting, but when he has been asked about his new challenge in various reports, Ertugral has backed himself to deliver and sees himself as a conductor tasked with fine-tuning an orchestra.
Big-club mentality. Having coached Chiefs twice and done his rounds in his native Turkish Super League, which makes the PSL look like a picnic in terms of the pressure and hostility, Ertugral has what it takes to make the Pirates 80th birthday bash a memorable celebration.
He will also immediately command respect from the squad that the club has assembled because everyone will be familiar with his work as well as the temper tantrums in the dugout.
Yes, the league title might have eluded him at Amakhosi in his two stints, but he knows how to win.
Perhaps he is even more mature now, and maybe the blend of youth and experience at Pirates could be just the right amount to meet all of his mandates.
Gifted players. It is rare that silverware is not the end product when Khoza goes shopping.
This time around he has also addressed problem areas such as the central defence with the acquisition of versatile youngster Abbubaker Mobara from Ajax Cape Town.
Pirates do not lack in creativity, especially with captain Oupa Manyisa back from a lengthy injury, which kept him out from as early as September all the way to the end of the season.
But Ghanaian playmaker Bernard Morrison and Riyaad Norodien, Mobara’s Ajax teammate, will bring healthy competition.
Last season it often felt like there was not enough direction for these players to perform to the best of their ability. Ertugral’s approach could just be the right tonic.