New Buccaneer Thulani gives Zinnbauer the thumbs up
• Hlatshwayo impressed with coachs tactics and his effort to learn Zulu
Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo one of Orlando ‚ Pirates new signings is ‚ impressed at how his new coach Josef Zinnbauer has been trying to learn to speak Zulu.
Centreback Hlatshwayo and forwards Deon Hotto and Terence Dzvukumanja are three signings, forming part of the redistribution of wealth among SA s big clubs after the sale of Bidvest Wits, who have arrived to bolster Zinnbauer s team. ’
Hlatshwayo said he was impressed by the German s ’ attacking football from afar as Zinnbauer arrived in December to guide Bucs to a creditable third-place finish. The defender said Zinnbauer was also a nice guy. He s a coach I ve known “’ ’ from a distance playing against Orlando Pirates. And now we ve ’ met we ve done the one-v‚ ones, he s a good coach he s ’ ‚ ’ chilled the defender said. ‚”
From a distance you d say “’ he was a tough coach like Gavin [Hunt the former Wits now ‚ ‚ Kaizer Chiefs coach]. But he s ’ not he s quiet ... he talks. He — ’ wants to hear how you re feeling ’ and everything.
I m about to finish my first “’ week now at training with Pirates. What I ve seen is that he ’ wants to play he wants to attack ‚ ‚ he wants to go forward. The quality that he has going forward you know. And that s ‚ ’ what he wants. He wants goals and to go forward all the time.”
Zinnbauer impressed when ‚ soon after his arrival a storm ‚ erupted in a teacup over midfielder Fortune Makaringe s sup’ posed showboating ”.
Asked “about it the coach said he was in ‚ SA to learn and adapt culturally. Hlatswhayo was asked about Zinnbauer seemingly being in the mould of coaches who treat players like adults.
Yeah for sure. He did men“‚ tion that he wants everyone to be relaxed and confident. But at the same time he s a coach who ’ wants discipline at all times the ‚” player said.
He jokes with the players. “And I like the fact that he s trying ’ to learn Zulu just to make sure ‚ everyone feels comfortable. And for sure with this past season ‚ ending he did mention that now it s going to be his first starting with a preseason and everything and he wants to learn from ‚ everyone and be able to implement what he wants as he ‚ joined the team late [in 20192020].”
While Zinnbauer adapted quickly to the PSL and achieved fast results arriving with six months to find his feet in an almost written-off 2019-2020 season the pressure of chasing ‚ silverware for Soweto giants who have not won any in six years will make for a different environment in 2020-2021.
With a soldier such as Hlatshwayo added to Zinnbauer s armoury though ’ ‚ Pirates have the look of a menacing combination before a ball has been kicked in the new PSL season.