Micho welcomes return of Pule
Tshepo Ntsoelengoe
Vincent Pule makes a return to the Orlando Pirates team ahead of their Telkom Knockout last-16 fixture with Chippa United at the Orlando Stadium tonight.
The attacking midfielder has been a model of consistency for the Buccaneers in their recent games, providing two assists and scoring three goals.
He, however, suffered a setback when he got injured during the team’s league game against Golden Arrows earlier this month, forcing him out of Bucs’ 1-1 draw with AmaZulu FC and being pulled out of the Bafana Bafana squad that have just played backto-back 2019 Afcon qualifying matches against the Seychelles.
Bucs coach Micho Sredojevic is excited to have the former Bidvest Wits player back in the team ahead of this important match and says the midfielder could have made a huge impact in Bafana’s away game against Seychelles, which ended in a goalless draw.
“I believe he would have been able to overcome the problem during the last Bafana Bafana game. He would have probably made an assist or scored a goal that could have made the road to 2019 Afcon in Cameroon for Bafana easier. Unfortunately it was not meant to be. He didn’t play in our last match against AmaZulu and he pulled out of the Bafana squad,” said the Bucs coach.
“The nature of the injury didn’t allow him to play because no match is bigger than the future of a player. In that regard, and in coordination with the Bafana technical team, he was pulled out of the squad. He has now come back and has worked very hard. He is on the brink of getting back to his best. We are looking forward to getting his best possible service.”
Going up against the Chilli Boys, the Buccaneers will go toeto-toe with former colleagues and friends with ex-Bucs coach Eric Tinkler at the helm of the Port Elizabeth outfit since August, while the likes of Thabo Rakhale, Daine Klate, Sello Japhta, Mark Mayambela and Thamsanqa Sangweni will look to upset their former employers.
The last time they met was in an Absa Premiership clash earlier this season, with Bucs winning the game 1-0.