HAILED as a saviour after helping guide Orlando Pirates to a 3-2 win over traditional foes Kaizer Chiefs in the dramatic Soweto derby on Saturday, interim Buccaneers first-team coach and director of development Augusto Palacios yesterday disclosed his "passionate main objective" for The Buccaneers' future.
"I don't know what plans chairman Irvin Khoza and his staff have in mind for me in the future," said the former Peruvian World Cup player and Pirates coach, "and, of course, I am ready to serve the club in whatever capacity they see fit after devoting many years of my life with the club.
"But whatever their plans, I would like to see imprinted in the Pirates ranks a closer liaison between the senior team and its technical staff and the development structure than that which has existed in recent years. And this can only be achieved with closer cooperation between the development structure and the first-team technical staff."
At the same time, Palacios made the startling revelation that neither of Bucs' recent first-team coaches, Ruud Krol or Julio Cesar Leal, had made any meaningful contact with him while he was operating as director of development.
"Apart from greeting me and saying hello they did not seem to have much interest in what was going on at development level. I am not in the business of criticising coaching colleagues, and Krol and Leal have proved their mettle in the past, but I believe that Pirates, with such a well-established and well-organised development structure, must start paying more attention to developing future stars from their own ranks, instead of buying players from outside sources.
"That is what happened in the past, when you think of Lebohang Mokoena, Gift Leremi, Joseph Makhanya, Benedict Vilakazi and so many others. That is the direction we must re-establish in the future."
As for Saturday's win over Chiefs, Palacios said he had nothing but admiration for his players, who had risen brilliantly to the occasion.
"They were under huge mental pressure after the suspension of coach Leal and the 3-0 defeat at the hands of Santos in midweek, but they demonstrated character and fighting spirit to topple Chiefs."
Njenje spells out his vision
HAILED as a saviour after helping guide Orlando Pirates to a 3-2 win over traditional foes Kaizer Chiefs in the dramatic Soweto derby on Saturday, interim Buccaneers first-team coach and director of development Augusto Palacios yesterday disclosed his "passionate main objective" for The Buccaneers' future.
"I don't know what plans chairman Irvin Khoza and his staff have in mind for me in the future," said the former Peruvian World Cup player and Pirates coach, "and, of course, I am ready to serve the club in whatever capacity they see fit after devoting many years of my life with the club.
"But whatever their plans, I would like to see imprinted in the Pirates ranks a closer liaison between the senior team and its technical staff and the development structure than that which has existed in recent years. And this can only be achieved with closer cooperation between the development structure and the first-team technical staff."
At the same time, Palacios made the startling revelation that neither of Bucs' recent first-team coaches, Ruud Krol or Julio Cesar Leal, had made any meaningful contact with him while he was operating as director of development.
"Apart from greeting me and saying hello they did not seem to have much interest in what was going on at development level. I am not in the business of criticising coaching colleagues, and Krol and Leal have proved their mettle in the past, but I believe that Pirates, with such a well-established and well-organised development structure, must start paying more attention to developing future stars from their own ranks, instead of buying players from outside sources.
"That is what happened in the past, when you think of Lebohang Mokoena, Gift Leremi, Joseph Makhanya, Benedict Vilakazi and so many others. That is the direction we must re-establish in the future."
As for Saturday's win over Chiefs, Palacios said he had nothing but admiration for his players, who had risen brilliantly to the occasion.
"They were under huge mental pressure after the suspension of coach Leal and the 3-0 defeat at the hands of Santos in midweek, but they demonstrated character and fighting spirit to topple Chiefs."
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