Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has questioned his players’ attitude following their goalless draw with Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Buccaneers missed the chance to move up to third in the DStv Premiership standings and remain in fourth place, with Stellies in 12th, just two points clear of the relegation playoff spot.
Pirates are now mathematically out of the running for the DStv Premiership title and will look to secure a top three-finish in order to secure their participation in the Caf competition next season.
The German mentor was frustrated with his side’s poor showing against Stellies, especially after their 3-0 victory over Black Leopards last week.
‘Bad result, bad performance, not what we wanted before the game,’ Zinnbauer told SuperSport TV post-game.
‘I know it’s difficult against Stellenbosch, especially in defending, finding the space through the line to the final third, but it was not enough power, you can’t win a game like this.
‘Last game was top performance, but it’s not enough [today], you need the same performance and the same goals.
‘It was better [in the second half], we explained the system a little bit and maybe the players were a little bit confused with the system – five at the back, three defenders, five in a line – and we changed a little bit, we explained exactly the structure.
‘But it was not enough, we were not hungry enough going forward. I cannot say the players [don’t] want it, it was just not enough to win three points with this performance.
‘It’s always the discussion why we don’t have the same performance like in a game before, now it was good the rate goes higher, the Swallows game was also good, we come more in the final third or we create more chances, but now it was not good enough.
‘Maybe they [the players] think you have the last game good, then it’s enough for this game. But it’s not enough. You have to work, you see the opponent, they work for one metre, for all metres, for all balls they don’t want to go to relegation. The feeling was not good today for winning the game.’
