While he admits they failed to achieve the targets set at the start of the season, Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi has insisted only the club's hierarchy can comment whether he deserves to be retained or not.

Four days post their CAF Confederation Cup final heartbreak, Pirates bounced back in style by demolishing Maritzburg United 4-1 in their first of the three backlogged league fixtures at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night.

The win, earned courtesy of goals from Thembinkosi Lorch, Kwame Peprah, Deon Hotto and Kabelo Dlamini, boosted Pirates' chances of finishing second on the log, which would earn them a Champions League spot.

"This club is about cups and winning trophies, the mandate is clear. We didn’t meet the mandate, so it was not a successful season. But for any other club, a smaller one, from what we have done until now, it will be regarded as a good performance.

"But for Pirates we’ve not met the objections. We know the objectives that we were given at the beginning of the season. But we didn’t meet them,'' Ncikazi said.

"This is not about me. It’s a question but you are asking the wrong person [when he was asked if he deserves more time]. Sometimes you’ll win the league and you are on top of the game but you’ll lose your job. So, it’ not my decision. It’s a very good question, but it’s not my decision."

Strangely, Ncikazi doesn't want their ambition to finish second to be highlighted. Pirates face Royal AM away tomorrow, before wrapping up their campaign at SuperSport on Monday. Winning both games will see the Sea Robbers qualify for the Champions League via finishing as runners-up.

"I think the mandate is clear. But you don’t want to highlight it, exaggerate it or put it under the spotlight but the truth is known by everybody: we have an agenda in front of us that we have to fulfil. It's the only mandate that we have without making a lot of noise around it,'' Ncikazi said.