'Pirates must be patient with Ncikazi'

Things seem not to be working out for Orlando Pirates co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids.

Losing the Soweto derby and being bundled out of the Nedbank Cup in one week sums up what's has been a burdensome for few months for Pirates. Marumo Gallants beat Pirates 5-4 in the Ke Yona Cup last 16 on Wednesday at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

With the defeat at home to Soweto foes Kaizer Chiefs three days earlier, having had already put Ncikazi and Davids under the microscope of the fans, being eliminated from the cup is expected to pile more pressure on them. Since they succeeded German coach Josef Zinnbauer in August last year, Ncikazi and Davids have have been in charge of 28 games, winning 11 with five defeats and 12 draws in all competitions.

The biggest question now is, how canPirates rescue the situation? Erstwhile midfielder Thabo Mngomeni, 52, strongly believes the club hierarchy must be patient with Ncikazi, insinuating Davids must be sacrificed before they bolster the technical team with coaches like Dan Malesela of Gallants.

"Ncikazi must be kept. We must be patient with him. Fadlu has been at Pirates for a while and it may happen that his philosophy clashes with Ncikazi's. The management must bring at least two coaches to work with Ncikazi. Someone like Dan can fit the profile. He was once the club's captain, so he knows what Pirates is all about,'' Mngomeni told Sowetan yesterday.

Mngomeni, who played for the Sea Robbers between 1998 and 2002, feels the players must be the one getting the stick more than coaches at Pirates. "Our players earn big salaries but they fail to perform. Pirates players are the ones to blame not the coaches. They miss good chances week in week out and concede easily,'' said Mngomeni. 

Pirates will be eager to bounce back when they welcome Swazi side Royal Leopards in a CAF Confederation Cup tie at Orlando Stadium on Sunday (6pm).