The struggles Orlando Pirates’ have endured this season have forced the club’s coach Kjell Jonevret to see a silver lining in every result.
The Swedish coach didn’t see the goalless draw with Highlands Park on Saturday at Makhulong Stadium as two points dropped but as a point gained.
The Buccaneers are after all just six points ahead of Highlands and Baroka FC who occupy the bottom two places.
But Pirates are slowly finding their rhythm having advanced to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup and won their first league game in 2017.
“The players in the last two to three weeks have been really focused‚” Jonevret said.
“They’ve worked really hard. I think we are on the way up. I don’t think that we should be ashamed of this draw even though we had hoped for a little bit more. At least we didn’t concede.”
At the heart of the Buccaneers’ resurgence is Oupa Manyisa finding his form.
The Pirates’ captain‚ just like the club‚ is slowly getting back to his best which was evident in the 4-1 demolition of Free State Stars.
He showed glimpses of that good side in the win over Maritzburg United and the draw with the Lions of the North.
But if Pirates are to salvage this season by winning the Nedbank Cup and finishing in the top eight‚ Manyisa has to fast-track his return.
“When I arrived I was told that Oupa had been a little bit down‚ out of shape and his form wasn’t that good‚” Jonevret said.
“But I think that he has been a key player for us in all the games that I have been in charge of. He was really good against Free State Stars. He is really important for us. He does a lot of work in defence and is key going forward.”
The club’s defence‚ that Jonevret sought to improve first to stop them from conceding “stupid goals”‚ has been improving too.
Siyabonga Mpontshane has kept two clean sheets in the club’s last two games‚ relegating former No. 1 goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo to the bench.
“He (Mpontshane) has been sterling‚” Jonevret said.
“He has conceded one goal in three games. But it’s not just about the goalkeeper. You have a team in front of him that has to help him. The defence of the whole team has looked good and that helped us. We can only build from that.” - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Jonevret not fretting over the dropped points against Highlands Park
The struggles Orlando Pirates’ have endured this season have forced the club’s coach Kjell Jonevret to see a silver lining in every result.
The Swedish coach didn’t see the goalless draw with Highlands Park on Saturday at Makhulong Stadium as two points dropped but as a point gained.
The Buccaneers are after all just six points ahead of Highlands and Baroka FC who occupy the bottom two places.
But Pirates are slowly finding their rhythm having advanced to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup and won their first league game in 2017.
“The players in the last two to three weeks have been really focused‚” Jonevret said.
“They’ve worked really hard. I think we are on the way up. I don’t think that we should be ashamed of this draw even though we had hoped for a little bit more. At least we didn’t concede.”
At the heart of the Buccaneers’ resurgence is Oupa Manyisa finding his form.
The Pirates’ captain‚ just like the club‚ is slowly getting back to his best which was evident in the 4-1 demolition of Free State Stars.
He showed glimpses of that good side in the win over Maritzburg United and the draw with the Lions of the North.
But if Pirates are to salvage this season by winning the Nedbank Cup and finishing in the top eight‚ Manyisa has to fast-track his return.
“When I arrived I was told that Oupa had been a little bit down‚ out of shape and his form wasn’t that good‚” Jonevret said.
“But I think that he has been a key player for us in all the games that I have been in charge of. He was really good against Free State Stars. He is really important for us. He does a lot of work in defence and is key going forward.”
The club’s defence‚ that Jonevret sought to improve first to stop them from conceding “stupid goals”‚ has been improving too.
Siyabonga Mpontshane has kept two clean sheets in the club’s last two games‚ relegating former No. 1 goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo to the bench.
“He (Mpontshane) has been sterling‚” Jonevret said.
“He has conceded one goal in three games. But it’s not just about the goalkeeper. You have a team in front of him that has to help him. The defence of the whole team has looked good and that helped us. We can only build from that.” - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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