Zinnbauer’s five best moments as Orlando Pirates coach

Things might not have went the way Josef Zinnbauer would have wanted in his time with Orlando Pirates, especially after leaving his post so early in the season. 

ALSO READ: Josef Zinnbauer terminates his contract with Orlando Pirates

Pirates on Monday announced that Zinnbauer had tendered his resignation following the loss to Swallows FC in the MTN8 quarterfinals.

Having spent at least two years at the club, it was quite strange to see the German handing his resignation just after one game into the new season. 

Zinnbauer might not have been every Pirates’ fan favourite coach, but there are quite a number of positives to take from his stay at the club. 

We take a look at the coach’s five best moments as the coach of Pirates from December 2019, when the German was announced as the new man to take over the reigns at the Soweto giants:


1. Zinnbauer found an unstable Pirates team that was doing pretty bad on the league after joining in the middle of the season. The club was in position 11 on the league table when the German took charge. But he managed to steer the team into a top three finish, which saw the Buccaneers qualifying to play continental football. 

2. The 2020/21 season was a great start for Zinnbauer, especially in the MTN8. He managed to defeat a tricky Cape Town City in the opening game of the tournament, before going on to lift the trophy by beating Bloemfontein Celtic in the final and subsequently ending the club’s six years trophy drought. 

3. Beating Kaizer Chiefs three times in one season was one of the best gifts Zinnbauer gave to the club’s supporters. It’s quite rare to find either of the Soweto giants registering three wins against one another in one season. Those bragging rights will surely be another good thing that the Ghosts will cherish Zinnbauer for. 

4. Reaching the quarter-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup was quite a surprise for Zinnbauer and his charges, with the coach having had to deal with a lot of injuries at the club, particularly to key players and having to play some games with a makeshift striker. They managed to do well in Africa, with their road to the semi-finals stopped by Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca, who went on to win the tournament.

5. It is no secret that Pirates had a troubled season last campaign, especially after it seemed like it would be a very successful one in the early stages. But the club suffered from a loss of personnel, but for Zinnbauer to be able to reach the top three in the league standings in his full season with team, especially a limping team is quite a notable achievement.