Highlands Park coach Gordon Igesund says he does not know what to expect from an Orlando Pirates side reeling following their 6-1 humiliation at the hands of SuperSport United on Tuesday.

Igesund is preparing his side for a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (kickoff 8.30pm)‚ but says the change of coach at the Buccaneers that followed their joint-record club defeat has made it difficult for him to assess his opponent.

Bucs’ head coach Muhsin Ertugral resigned on Wednesday morning following his side’s Premier League rout by SuperSport in Nelspruit‚ to be replaced by Augusto Palacios as caretaker that afternoon.

“I have watched their last four games and the previous coach [Ertugral] was pretty consistent in his team selections‚ and I had a good idea about what would come at us‚” Igesund tells Times Media Digital.

“Now we are in the dark. Palacios could make a whole heap of changes‚ change the way they play a bit and so on‚ making them a bit of a closed book.

“I think once I see the team sheet [an hour before the game] I will have a good idea of how they will set up. Until then I must focus on preparing my own team for a few different scenarios.

“But they will want to come out and prove they are the Pirates we all know they can be – a fantastic side. We are very much the underdogs despite what has gone on this week.

“That is not me trying to play mind games. I mean‚ Orlando Pirates versus Highlands Park … we have to be the underdogs‚ and the pressure is on them to get a result.”

Igesund‚ who won the Telkom Knockout months after taking charge of SuperSport United in 2014‚ says he has made no secret that as much as he would love some silverware‚ the league remains his team’s priority. The coach said he will not risk players who might be carrying knocks.

“Collins Mbesuma came back from the Maritzburg United [1-1] draw with a knock and didn’t train yesterday [Thursday]. Rudi Isaacs didn’t play that match and will have a fitness test before Pirates and then there is Franklin Cale as well‚” Igesund said.

“I have said before that our main priority is the league and to finish as high as we can and that has not changed.”

Igesund feels his side are improving and says their draw at Maritzburg last time out was the best performance yet during his three-game tenure.

“The players are still learning what I want from them but we are getting better and our best performance was our last one. We obviously want to see more improvement this weekend as well.”

Pirates have never found the Telkom Knockout much to their liking. Since they first competed in the competition in 1982‚ they have reached eight finals but only won one‚ in 2011.

The competition does‚ however‚ give them the opportunity to put behind them that horror result against SuperSport on Tuesday night. If they lift the trophy in the final next month that will quickly be forgotten.

“It’s important for me to bring back the confidence of the players‚” Palacios said‚ adding he would not be making changes for the sake of it.

“I don’t believe in rotation nor in fatigue. I believe in 11 players and if they’re playing well‚ I won’t change.”

He also had praise for Igesund and believes Highlands Park will present a significant challenge.

“Gordon is a great coach; he did well for himself‚ very tactical so it’s going to be a difficult game‚” Palacios said.

Pirates will be without defender Happy Jele for the game after his yellow card against SuperSport was his fourth of the season‚ triggering a one-game ban.

Jele would appear to be unlucky though as the booking was picked up in a penalty incident also involving Matsatsantsa striker Jeremy Brockie and Pirates’ goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo‚ and it appeared that the latter was the one who felled the New Zealander. Referee Victor Hlongwani thought otherwise.