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TAKING FLAK: Senzo Meyiwa during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Jomo Cosmos at Orlando Stadium on Monday. Photo: Gallo Images

 The supporters cannot shout about who should stay or go out of the team 

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This might have less to do with the goalkeeper's performance in the past two Absa Premiership matches for the defending champions than with coach Augusto Palacios's determination to hit back at some of the club's supporters.

Meyiwa, the "Buccaneers'' second-choice goalkeeper, got the nod ahead of Moeneeb Josephs on Monday night, but was targeted once again by the boo-boys when Pirates conceded a goal in their 2-1 win over Jomo Cosmos at Orlando Stadium.

The strike from Cosmos midfielder Siyabonga Nhlapho drew his side level in the first half, and after a few mistakes by Meyiwa, the Pirates fans wanted Josephs between the sticks.

The coach opted for Meyiwa despite Josephs having returned from his one-match suspension against AmaZulu last week, in which the former kept a clean sheet.

Palacios was fuming after the game and blasted the supporters' behaviour, saying he would not let any of them dictate who should take to the field when Pirates are in action.

Meyiwa is often the victim of the barrackers when No1 keeper Josephs is unavailable through injury, suspension or Bafana duty.

But former coaches Ruud Krol and Julio Leal had never spoken out regarding the fans' treatment of Meyiwa.

"I cannot tolerate this. I will never tolerate how the fans treated our goalkeeper Senzo," said Palacios, who was asked last week to coach Pirates until the end of the season following Leal's resignation.

"Our own supporters made noise about our goalkeeper conceding. It was a perfect goal and he made good saves throughout the match. The supporters cannot shout about who should stay or go out of the team."

The last time the Buccaneers faithful called the shots, striker Benni McCarthy was brought off the bench to score a late winner for Pirates in a 1-0 win over Maritzburg United. Leal was still in charge when that happened in February. But Palacios will have none of that while he remains the coach.

"It is their perception, but I will not tolerate this and I will stay like this," he said.

"I have been with Pirates for 17 years and even I never demanded changes when I was not the coach."

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 04:40:20 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 11, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Ok my prediction RATS 1 - BIRDS 1 or RATS 1 - BIRDS 3
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Apr 11, 2012

Keafixa

meyiwa is suspect wen it comes on high balls.....aniway y do we have to keep our best keeper on the bench....Palacious u must remember that the league is important 4 urs, we are not here to play games, we neid the best possible squad in winning this title.....this is not a time to test players.

mogwetewapolo....y o phapha vroeg so
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Apr 11, 2012

Dinamanama

This is Mzansi,boo boys will always be there,ask Kaizer Junior
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Apr 11, 2012

SeshegoGuY

Ma-Swaiswai will easily win this one 2-0 . Gordon is a Master Tactician
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Apr 11, 2012

SKIZOBANTWANA

@Nje nje !!!
We need to win this league..period '' Why keep the 2nd best on the 1st eleven, why our 1st choice is available and perfect..?

There's no way to take chances here, we are in the last lap of this marathon... Ungazodlala la NjeNje.

@Morena waSphinya
Wa Spita saan yong
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Apr 11, 2012

Mhungumbye

Whenever Meyiwa is goalkeeping, he always reminds me of the stupid goal that went through his legs sometimes ago. luckily we got 3 points despite his comic mistakes. Judging by the past 2 games he is even far better than Khune, the goal he concided against Cosmos was cracker of a shot.
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Apr 11, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

SKIZOBANTWANA
Ke tla go raga san, what is your prediction?
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Apr 11, 2012

LIKHUWA

the coach must always keep the secret weapon as secret and why is he revealing everything to the media. both players deserve right to play
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Apr 11, 2012

Papage

That is how we are, all the teams are like that NjeNje, players that do seem not to perform are booed by their own fans, sick fans and they always cause their teams to pay unecessary fines, for their unsporting behaivour, at times I ask myself, why did they bother to go watch the game.
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Apr 11, 2012

Gusheshe

Rats and Zebras always fighting for no reason. phathetic staff indeed
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