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By Tshepo Ntsoelengoe

Football Journalist


Pirates fans content with Zinnbauer work 

I can’t remember the last time Orlando Pirates fans lost the Soweto derby to Kaizer Chiefs and they seemed to be.. for a lack of a better okay with it! 


In fact, I don’t ever think there has been a point in my life, where such a thing happened.

That was of course, until last weekend when Amakhosi beat the Buccaneers 1-0 in an Absa Premiership clash which many dubbed as a title decider – looking at the six points difference from the two sides prior to the match with Chiefs leading the log and Pirates coming in on third place.

Like I said in one of my articles building up to the derby, a win for Pirates was definitely going to have a direct impact in the title race and they surely could have increased their chances of snatching it at the last moments and not forgetting making things easier Mamelodi Sundowns who are also in the mix.

It was a big game and of course bragging rights were also there.

But, to my surprise, as much as there might have been a bit of disappointment, Pirates fans looked to have been okay with the loss and didn’t really mind.

I even listened to many Pirates fans talking about the outcome of the game, they just accepted that they lost to a team who wanted it more on the day and that’s just it.

And when it comes to talking about the championship, they seem to be not bothered at all. What most of them preach about at the moment is a Caf Championship spot and believe that they have the right coach who can give them that.

I’ve also learnt that the Ghosts are happy with Josef Zinnbauer’s contribution and the fact that the loss to Amakhosi was his first in the League since joining the club last year in December meant something for them.

I mean, I saw Pirates fans dancing and singing at the final blow of the whistle, they are just happy with how things have gone so far for them.

But I don’t really blame them. This is a team that started the season on a very dull way with so much expectations after finishing second last campaign. An early exit in the MTN8, the Caf Champions League as well as the resignation of Micho Sredojevic – things weren’t looking pretty good at the club.

Rulani Mokwena’s spell as interim coach didn’t also work out for the Buccaneers with the club sitting somewhere between position 12 and 11 on the log.

That was up until the arrival of Zinnbauer, who didn’t really make drastic changes in the squad. But Bucs have started to play with eagerness to win hence they got a good run in the League looking besides their Nedbank Cup exit.

I look at all of that and what the club has been through in the last couple of months and I really get why Bucs supporters were able to accept defeat to Chiefs and they appreciate what Zinnbauer has done since taking over the head coach role.

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