MBOMBELA- Orlando Pirates’ coach Micho Sredojevic believes that the club’s supporters are proud of what their team has done this season even though they are facing a fourth trophy-less year.
The Buccaneers’ league ambitions were dealt a blow by the goalless draw they played with SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday. This draw gives Mamelodi Sundowns the advantage as the Brazilians are three points clear at the top with a game in hand. But despite failing to get maximum points from Matsatsantsa a Pitori, the Ghost left Mbombela Stadium content.
“Orlando Pirates’ supporters are one of the most demanding supporters,” Sredojevic said. “They demand two things, good football and winning. We gave them a half product here. But they have a million and one reasons to be happy because of what has happened to this team and how we are playing.
"I believe that no team can win everything at once. We are still in a rebuilding process. We are still in a process of bringing stability and putting a stamp of who we are and what we are about.
"I am convinced that all realistic supporters of our’s are happy with the effort, commitment, dedication and hard work of our players and the way they are respecting the badge and jersey. The rest of the things will come.”
Victory not 'meant to be'
Pirates players cut dejected figures in Mbombela after full-time. They dragged their bodies into the changing room, which shows that talks that they aren’t after the league is just bluff.
“We played against a team that’s in an unfortunate position,” Sredojevic said. “SuperSport don’t deserve to be where they are. With the players and the team that they are, they deserve to be much higher. They were title contenders at the start of the season but unfortunately they are where they are.
"We had a good match except the first five minutes and towards the end of the first half. We were in a dominant position throughout. I am very satisfied with the way we have applied ourselves. We had top class build-up and we dominated possession. We created a lot of good chances but unfortunately we didn’t take them.
"We closed the counter-attacks of the opponents. I felt proud as a coach when I saw the players’ body language after the match. They really wanted to win this match. It wasn’t meant to be.
"This is one of those moments in football where you didn’t win the match but inside you feel like a winner because of the performance of the boys. We are in a process. We learned a lot from this game. We shall take this lesson to our next match on Sunday against AmaZulu.”