Orlando Pirates interim coach Augusto Palacios wants to put a smile back on the faces of the club’s passionate fans.
Pirates are in a state of turmoil after Muhsin Ertugral’s shock resignation just minutes after the club’s joint-worst defeat at the hands of SuperSport United in midweek action.
SuperSport slammed home six second-half goals to turn a 1-0 deficit into a resounding win. The nature of the defeat caused coach Ertugral to announce live on air that he could not continue in the role, such was the state of the performance.
Club chairman Irvin Khoza handed the reins to long-serving Pirates man Augusto Palacios in a bid to steady the ship after a sluggish start to the 2016-17 campaign.
‘It’s important for me to bring back the confidence of the players,’ Palacios told the media on Thursday.
Goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo had a particularly bad night as he failed to prevent Reneilwe Letsholonyane’s equaliser from slipping between his gloves and the goalposts from an acute angle. And, a few moments later, he punched the ball straight to Thuso Phala on the edge of the area to concede another. Ertugral said at the time that his side ‘blacked out’ as they conceded 4 goals in a little over 10 minutes with a goal coming with almost every attack.
Palacios had spoken with Mhlongo in a bid to calm the keeper’s nerves, the media learned.
‘I spoke with Brighton Mhlongo. We never spoke about the previous coach or the 6-1. We’re focusing on the next game.’
The veteran coach has hinted at a more consistent approach to team selection with players being rewarded for their efforts in training and only being dropped for poor performance.
‘I don’t believe in rotation nor believe in fatigue. I believe in 11 players if they’re playing well, I won’t change,’ said Palacios.
The interim boss has already stamped his authority on the team culture by an earlier training timeslot as well as banning phones on the team bus.
Palacios refused to criticise his predecessor, instead focusing on the team’s progress starting this weekend.
Pirates are set to face Highlands Park in the last eight of the TKO 2016, and Palacios believes he is ready to test himself against former national team coach Gordon Igesund.
‘Gordon is a great coach; he did well for himself, very tactical so it’s gonna be a difficult game but hope we do well,’ added Palacios.
Highlands Park arrive at Orlando Stadium on Saturday with a place in the last four of the competition at stake for the winners.
The match kicks off at 20:30.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
