Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic says his new French goalkeeper Joris Delle has the quality‚ but most importantly the right attitude‚ to succeed at the Buccaneers.
Pirates fans will not get a first look at new signing Delle in Saturday’s Carling Black Label Cup against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.
Brilliant Khuzwayo was voted into the starting line-up for the gimmicky preseason exhibition match‚ where line-ups are chosen by SMS and on social media by the fans.
However on Tuesday Khuzwayo – injured and yet to make his debut at Pirates since being signed from Chiefs at the start of last season – was withdrawn and replaced by last season’s stalwart Wayne Sandilands. Siyabonga Mpontshane is on the bench.
Sredojevic said Pirates’ new Finnish goalkeeper-coach Jyri Nieminen had an input on the signing of French Under-16‚ U-17‚ U-18 and U21 youth international Delle‚ who played a handful of games for Dutch giants Feyenoord in the Eredivisie last season.
“Regarding Joris Delle‚ when you look at his CV it talks volumes about him‚” Bucs’ coach said.
“The challenge for him coming to Africa is something where I have a sense that when you divide world football‚ there is world football and there is African football.
“For me personally. After 20 years in African football I can tell you an element of adapting‚ adjusting and acclimatising is needed.
“He has a tremendous background from the Eredivisie. And this is one part of his platform.
“The second part is his human qualities. We believe that we have brought‚ before goalkeeping‚ a very good boy who every single morning we greet each other in my language‚ because he has come across so many players from my country [Serbia] in his career.
“The way I see him interacting with our players‚ he has really come into an accommodating group who represent the big brand called Orlando Pirates.
“But even he is accommodating. Because when you come as a foreigner you bring your country in your heart and what you know in your head. But under the skin you need to become more South African than South Africans.
“This is a formula that is universal if you really want to come in and respectfully be a part of a new environment.
“And this is how we are looking for Joris Delle to give us a full contribution in the season that is about to start.”
Delle (29) has also played for Metz‚ Nice and Lens in France‚ Cercle Brugge in Belgium and NEC in Holland.
Sredojevic believes French goalkeeper can be a hit at Orlando Pirates
Image: Broer van den Boom/Soccrates/Getty Images
Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic says his new French goalkeeper Joris Delle has the quality‚ but most importantly the right attitude‚ to succeed at the Buccaneers.
Pirates fans will not get a first look at new signing Delle in Saturday’s Carling Black Label Cup against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.
Brilliant Khuzwayo was voted into the starting line-up for the gimmicky preseason exhibition match‚ where line-ups are chosen by SMS and on social media by the fans.
However on Tuesday Khuzwayo – injured and yet to make his debut at Pirates since being signed from Chiefs at the start of last season – was withdrawn and replaced by last season’s stalwart Wayne Sandilands. Siyabonga Mpontshane is on the bench.
Sredojevic said Pirates’ new Finnish goalkeeper-coach Jyri Nieminen had an input on the signing of French Under-16‚ U-17‚ U-18 and U21 youth international Delle‚ who played a handful of games for Dutch giants Feyenoord in the Eredivisie last season.
“Regarding Joris Delle‚ when you look at his CV it talks volumes about him‚” Bucs’ coach said.
“The challenge for him coming to Africa is something where I have a sense that when you divide world football‚ there is world football and there is African football.
“For me personally. After 20 years in African football I can tell you an element of adapting‚ adjusting and acclimatising is needed.
“He has a tremendous background from the Eredivisie. And this is one part of his platform.
“The second part is his human qualities. We believe that we have brought‚ before goalkeeping‚ a very good boy who every single morning we greet each other in my language‚ because he has come across so many players from my country [Serbia] in his career.
“The way I see him interacting with our players‚ he has really come into an accommodating group who represent the big brand called Orlando Pirates.
“But even he is accommodating. Because when you come as a foreigner you bring your country in your heart and what you know in your head. But under the skin you need to become more South African than South Africans.
“This is a formula that is universal if you really want to come in and respectfully be a part of a new environment.
“And this is how we are looking for Joris Delle to give us a full contribution in the season that is about to start.”
Delle (29) has also played for Metz‚ Nice and Lens in France‚ Cercle Brugge in Belgium and NEC in Holland.
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