5 CHALLENGES

The Pirates capitulation has been unravelling over the past three months under the not-sowatchful eye of interim coach Augusto Palacios. It’s Jonevret’s task to lift the players out of the rut they are in. Currently in 10th place and with a slim chance of clinching the Premiership title, the coach is better off focusing on winning over the trust of the spine of the team than addressing questions around competing for the championship. He is almost having to start from scratch and must put an end to the reported cliques within the squad. It’s often a double-edged sword agreeing to take over a team 17 matches into the season. Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza admitted that it would have been ideal to appoint a permanent successor to Muhsin Ertugral during the break between December and February, but candidates earmarked for the role were contracted to other clubs. Jonevret must believe he can deliver, seeing that he was bold enough to agree to a threeyear contract.Not having had a pre-season means the coach will rely on what he has seen in recent matches and information provided by assistant coach Harold Legodi. A shadow of a player from three seasons ago, even with the captains’ armband. That Khoza singled him out as a player the club needs to see play at his best again, indicates that Jonevret must manage him better than his predecessors. Manyisa, 28, only recently returned to action after he recovered from an ankle injury that kept him out for more than seven months. So far there has been very little Pirates fans can smile about, and this adds pressure on the new coach. The Buccaneers are celebrating their 80th year, but the fans have spent more time sobbing and plotting pitch invasions than watching a team that can win a match. Jonevret seems to have done his homework regarding the rich history of the club. His target will be to settle the nerves of an impatient bunch of die-hard supporters, and he won’t have time with the Soweto Derby against archrivals Chiefs next up after the Polokwane City clash this weekend. It’s a stressful job if results are not coming and the Swede will need more than his charm and good command of English to win the fickle fans over. – Mazola Molefe