Winless Spurs to use Bucs to test progress

Cape Town Spurs assistant coach Vasili Manousakis wants to test how far his side have progressed when they face Orlando Pirates in the Carling Knockout last 16 match at Orlando Stadium tonight (7.30pm).

Manousakis is assisting temporary coach Sean Connor and they have been in charge for three weeks now after taking over from Shaun Bartlett.

Their only match was a 1-2 defeat to SuperSport United and having had a two-week break due to the Fifa week, Manousakis said this fixture against the Buccaneers would show if they were improving.

“We are playing one of the best teams in the league. They are serial cup winners. They have a fantastic coach and a really good team with some dynamic players,” Manousakis told Sowetan.

“But sometimes there are moments where it can spark something inside of us. The confidence of the players is low and they are a little bit fragile.

“It is a tough assignment to go to Orlando Stadium and do the job, but that will also show where we are in terms of progression with the team and setting up nicely what needs to be done for the next round of league games.”

The former Richards Bay coach is drawing confidence from the positive vibes he’s seen from his players at training ahead of this match.

“There has been a good response from the players since I have been here,” he said.

“There is a good vibe among the players. We understand it’s a tough match as I said, but sometimes you need this moment in life where you are complete underdogs and when nobody gives you a chance.”

Meanwhile, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has embraced the favourites tag heading into this competition after winning all their last three cup finals in domestic football.

“I don’t think it’s based on what we have achieved in the recent past. It’s because we are Orlando Pirates, so every time we go into every competition, we have to accept that we will be one of the favourites," Riveiro told the media on Wednesday.

“But I don’t think it is because we managed to succeed in the last three finals. Winning the final early in the season is a boost for us in terms of confidence to know ourselves a bit better.”