You were not the only one surprised to learn that Muhsin Ertugral was appointed the Orlando Pirates coach on a three-year contract, replacing beleaguered Eric Tinkler.
Ertugral now joins an exclusive list of coaches who have been in the hot seat at both Pirates and their bitter rivals Kaizer Chiefs, making him well aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead.
Here are just three challenges the German-Turkish born mentor is faced with as he looks to rebuild the Buccaneers and quickly turn them into title contenders in a season the club will be celebrating their 80th anniversary.
Dealing with egos
It’s been sometime since Ertugral was in such a high pressured job and he probably won’t have much time to settle. The job will be made all the more difficult by the playing personnel - a group of highly gifted individuals who certainly underachieved during the 2015/16 campaign. Although it is one isolated incident and probably the only one that played itself out in public at least, Ertugral was the reason striker Mabhuti Khenyeza left Chiefs in 2008 after a fall-out.
However, the two were able to work together five years later when they saved Ajax Cape Town from relegation. There are a lot of bruised egos and players eager to impress at Pirates after a campaign in which they left it to the final day of the season to earn their place in the MTN8 competition.
The big anniversary
A big bash is on the cards at Pirates next season as one of South Africa’s oldest clubs turns 80. It is obvious then that chairman, Irvin Khoza, is eager to see the team lift trophies to celebrate such a milestone. Tinkler was always a gamble and when he reached the final of the CAF Confederation Cup in November, it seemed as though it was a masterstroke to allow him to stay on when head coach when Vladimir Vermezovic left. But the wheels came off quite spectacularly when Pirates struggled to produce the same kind of form that helped them reach the final of the continental tournament.
Youth Policy
There are no ‘spring chickens’ at Pirates and all eyes will be on whether the new coach can successfully implement his approach of doing wonders with young players. Ertugral was hailed at Mpumalanga Black Aces last season for his decision to promote Aubrey Modiba, Thabo Nododa and Judas Moseamedi and still finish the season in fourth place, above Chiefs and his Pirates.
Two of them - Modiba and Moseamedi - have been included in the Bafana Bafana team made up of Under-23 players that left yesterday for the Cosafa Cup tournament in Namibia this month. They could very well be part of Owen da Gama’s Rio Olympics squad in August.
Things could be different for Ertugral at Pirates, however, where the emphasis is not on boosting the profile of young players but delivering trophies. - The Star
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