Kjell extremely cautious heading to East London
JOHANNESBURG: Orlando Pirates’ trip to the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London to face amateur side EC Bees in the Nedbank Cup on Sunday is the club’s easiest way to register their first win under new coach Kjell Jonevret. But it’s a tricky encounter made worse by the far-reaching implications that a negative result will have.
A loss will not only end Pirates’ season, as the Nedbank Cup is their last chance for silverware, but would also take their fragile confidence to a new low.
A win is expected, though. But it won’t mean much other than ending a 12-match winless run. Hence Jonevret is extremely cautious heading into the encounter.
“I know how it is with these games that everybody expects you to win,” Jonevret said. “I hate them because they (Bees) will fight like never before, since they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s going to be tough.
“We are going there with our best possible line-up, even though I will rest a few guys because we have played two tough games against Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United. This Cup is our chance to get something out of this season.”
The Buccaneers have suffered the embarrassment of being eliminated by a lower-league side in this tournament before.
They were stunned 4-1 by Maluti FET College in 2013. Pirates’ woeful defence will have to be alert as the minnows are sure to run at them. The club looked shaky at the back, with Jonevret saying, in his first media address when he was unveiled as the club’s new coach, that they concede stupid goals.
He hasn’t solved that problem just yet but SuperSport coach, Stuart Baxter, feels Jonevret is just what Pirates need.
“I know Kjell as a colleague. We don’t go out and have a beer every Saturday night, though,” Baxter said.
“He isn’t that type of friend. He is a colleague I have been to coaching courses with. I’ve met him at big games. I am not sure if I had played against him before (Tuesday).
“He has a solid background. Swedish coaches are instructors, they bring structure. Pirates, maybe, at this time need a little bit of structure.
“Players will benefit from working with him. He is a very honest guy. He will try to earn every penny he is paid at Pirates.
“He has to find the right balance between his structure and the South African ‘I want to play, I want a solution and I want to create that solution, so don’t tie me down too much’ – type of outlook. That’s the challenge of every Western coach who works in Southern Africa.”
Pirates have played three draws under Jonevret, stretching their winless run to 12 matches. Since he’s taken over, the players no longer drop their heads after conceding.
They buckle up and fight, which is how they came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Polokwane City, Chiefs and Matsatsantsa.
“The players have responded well,” Jonevret said. “I told them that there is nothing we can do about the past. There is a lot of laughter in the camp now. They feel that something positive is on its way.
“We talk about three games (that I have been in charge) and not the 12 games without a win. We had a new start two weeks ago. They are showing good character to come from behind in the three games we have played is positive.”