Zinnbauer explains the reasons behind his selections at Pirates
Injuries and suspensions to some key players have forced the coach's hand, with the team changing almost on a game to game basis.
Josef Zinnbauer is set to make changes to his Orlando Pirates starting line-up against Raja Casablanca on Sunday (Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has explained the reasons behind his constant squad rotation which has left the club’s fans asking questions.
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The Buccaneers mentor hasn’t had a regular line-up since the beginning of the campaign and says injuries and suspensions are the major issues for this. These have apparently left the Soweto club having to play with makeshift forwards ass four of their strikers are nursing injuries.
With Bucs preparing for the Caf Confederation Cup game against Botswana outfit Jwaneng Galaxy away from home on Sunday, the German-born coach hopes his players will have had enough rest having played their last game last weekend when they beat Cape Town City 2-0 in a DStv Premiership match.
“It’s not always easy when you have problems after every game,” Zinnbauer revealed.
“Last week it was Vincent Pule (suspension) and before that it was Paseka Mako; you have these problems with injuries. And, last week it was Bongani Sam.
“It’s a problem because we have a lot of games (coming up) and we have to manage the squad.
“We have a game on Sunday but we have a little more time for recovery; that’s why we didn’t change a lot of players (in the game against City). We gave Pepe (Thabiso Sesane) a chance. But we need our conditioning to be right for the next game.
“I don’t know what might happen tomorrow, you saw Thabang Monare had to go off (because of an injury in the last game). I hope it’s not bad.”
Zinnbauer added he was forced to play midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu at right-back against the Mother City club due to the unavailability of defenders and he acknowledged he is aware that the Ghost are asking questions about his selections and team make-up.
“I know the supporters are asking about my constantly changing the squad,” said Zinnbauer. “They want to know why I am playing a certain player in a certain position?
“At the moment we don’t have a right full-back, they are all injured. That is why we played Ndlovu in that position. These are the things you have to manage as a coach and it’s not easy, but I understand the supporters’ frustrations.”
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