Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza announced that Brilliant Khuzwayo will receive psychological treatment after the goalkeeper was forced into early retirement.

The 29-year-old had a nightmare of a time since joining Pirates from Amakhosi at the start of last season and missed the entire 2018-19 campaign after struggling with the recurring ankle injury.

Khuzwayo, who was withdrawn from Pirates’ Carling Black Label Cup squad, joined the Buccaneers after leaving Kaizer Chiefs and did not play a single first team match during his time with the Sea Robbers.

Khoza confirmed that that the club have brought in a psychological help to assist Khuzwayo with accepting his early retirement.

‘Well, it’s difficult for him. I mean at the age of 29, he never played even one Premier Division match [for Pirates]. He came with the injury and we thought it was an injury that was treatable. It took almost one and half [years] to try treat it, but the doctors said he can’t continue,’ Khoza told the media.

‘It’s just a pity emotionally. We’ve tried to get psychology to try assist him in accepting the outcome because it’s difficult. We engaged that agent that he should also assist in that respect, to get psychological support in making sure that he understands the reality. Fortunately, he is a Christian, but at the same you need psychological because goalkeepers can play until the age of 42 and 43, so it’s just unfortunate for him.