Pressure builds on coach
MOKWENA: CRISIS SOUNDS ALARM BELLS
Coach Rulani Mokwena will need to use all of his analytical powers if he is to quickly sort out an Orlando Pirates crisis that is threatening to leave their season in tatters not even two months into the new campaign.
Mokwena is clearly a keen student of the game, and a well-respected young coach, but the Buccaneers have won just one of six matches since he took over in mid-August, and early signs of a solid defence under his tutelage rather fell flat in a 4-3 loss to Bidvest Wits at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates’ management do not appear to have hit the panic button just yet, but the Buccaneers face another potent attack this weekend as they host Cape Town City. City have not really clicked this season, but if they do on Saturday, Mokwena’s position could start to look under serious threat.
“First we must go back and analyse this game,” Mokwena told SuperSport TV after the Wits game.
“I will get the opinion of the technical team, as a coach it is very seldom (only) about your own opinion, you have to understand what other people observe as a point of departure. We have to analyse and check why we were so open that they (Wits) scored four.
“We must prepare for a Cape Town City side that is also very offensive. Kermit Erasmus is on fire, (Surprise) Ralani is playing well, and they have a strong midfield, but they are also a bit open. We will see.”
One encouraging sign for Pirates is that in Tshegofatso Mabasa, they seem to have found a striker with a keen eye for goal.
Mabasa netted the pick of the seven goals on Saturday, with a beautiful piece of chest control, followed by a sumptuous volley, taking his tally to three in his last two league games.
Gabadinho Mhango also came off the bench and had an impact against Wits, assisting one goal and scoring another.
It is at the back where Pirates need some sort of solidity, however, with Siphesihle Ndlovu rather bizarrely playing as a makeshift leftback, while Joris Delle followed a good performance against Chippa with one against Wits that earned him plenty of criticism from the Pirates fans, albeit that it would be harsh to criticise him over any of the Clever Boys’ goals.
Pirates have a strong squad, despite them being well below their best, and Mokwena needs to turn his impressive words into action.