ORLANDO Pirates left back Patrick Phungwayo is pretty sure he knows why Roger de Sa is doing well as coach of Ajax Cape Town.

Very few players can claim to know De Sa as well as Phungwayo does and the player is hardly surprised that Ajax are riding high this season with his former coach at the helm.

The Urban Warriors are in second place in the Absa Premiership standings and have booked themselves a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal meeting with Pirates, who will host the clash at Orlando Stadium tomorrow (8.15pm).

"I have worked with Roger de Sa at Wits and Pirates and I know he loves working with young players and he can get the best out of them. He believes in youngsters and he can motivate them," said Phungwayo.

"He gave me a chance to play as a youngster when I was at Wits. Now he is at Ajax and he is working with exciting players. Even some of them are in the Bafana Bafana team. He is a very good coach and he is good at spotting young talent.

"Roger did not do badly at Pirates. He got us to three finals, which says a lot about him.

"We now play against him and he knows how we as players play. It's not going to be an easy game."

Phungwayo could get another chance to play for Pirates tomorrow, if regular left back Thabo Matlaba is still not fit.

The defender has been one of the standout performers in an inconsistent Pirates side recently, but can't seem to convince coach Vladimir Vermezovic he is good enough to start ahead of Matlaba. He gets an opportunity only when Matlaba is injured or suspended out nursing an injury or serving suspension.

"I am quite happy now that I am playing. I have been told that I should use the chance I get."

On their shaky defence, Phungwayo said: "We are concerned and we have been talking about it. There is a lack of communication at the back and we need to work on it."