New Pirates coach Zinnbauer ready to prove his worth

Zinnbauer, a German-born coach was announced as the new Buccaneers coach on Tuesday afternoon, but the announcement shocked many football fans, especially Pirates supporters who had no clue who Zinnbauer is.

READ: Three things you need to know about the new Pirates coach

Born in Schwandorf, a town on the river Naab in the Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany, which is the seat of the Schwandorf district – the 49-year old began his soccer career as a player when he played for at FV Wendelstein in the late 1980s, before going on to play for SVG Göttingen 07, TSV Vestenbergsgreuth, SC 08 Bamberg, SpVgg Bayreuth and SSV Ulm 1846 in the lower league of German football.

He only got to play top-flight football when he turned out for Karlsruher SC in 1994 playing in the Bundesliga and went on to play for FSV Mainz 05 while the side was playing in Bundesliga Two. At Mainz, he became team-mates with current English Premiership side coach Juergen Klopp.

In his initial stints as a coach, he went on to mentor in the lower divisions in Germany, coaching VfB Oldenburg in both the fourth and fifth tier between 2005 and 2010.

In 2011, Zinnbauer then went on to become an assistant coach at Karlsruher SC to Scharinger and Jorn Andersen before being deployed to the club’s under-23 side in 2012 until 2014.

But his biggest coaching job has to be at Hamburg SV from September 2014 but he was subsequently sacked six months later after the club found itself in the relegation zone. Before being appointed as the new Pirates coach, the German mentor’s last coaching role was at FC St. Gallen in Sweden. He coached the side from 2015 to 2017 and has not had a coaching job since then.

The 49-year old German lacks trophies in his coaching career as a top-flight football coach and has been entrusted to bring back the happy days at Bucs, a club in a five-year trophy drought.

However, Zinnbauer seems to be ready and happy for the challenge ahead and has done his homework on the club he will be trying to get back on track and is expecting every player to give their best.

“I welcome the opportunity to lead one of the prestigious clubs on the African continent. I hope under my lead, we are able to return the club to its winning ways,” Zinnbauer told Bucs media.

“I like a dominant and passionate style of play and ball possession is important to me. There is quality within our players and we will reach the team’s full potential with discipline, hard work and dedication. I expect everyone at the club to give their best as I will give mine. It will not be easy, but we will make Pirates become great again.”

One of the first tasks for Zinnbauer as soon as he gets his work permit is to improve the club’s position in the league standings as they currently sit seventh with 17 points. The club’s last game of the year will be up against Black Leopards on December 21.

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