Share

Pirates coach blames injuries

Cape Town - Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa says injuries, and not a taxing CAF Champions League campaign, are too blame for their failure to defend their PSL crown.

Pirates' 1-0 home defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on the weekend ended their title hopes, leaving them seven points adrift of leaders Kaizer Chiefs and four behind Platinum Stars.

The Buccaneers have been criticised in some quarters for giving up on the league title in favour of African glory. They recently reached the group stages of the CAF Champions League after overcoming TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, De Sa rubbished such claims.

"It's more about the injuries we have picked up rather than the travelling and the games in Comoros, Zambia and Congo," he told the Football411 website.

"We have been missing a lot of regulars throughout the season.

"South African teams usually don't do well in the local league when they play in Africa but the injuries hurt us more. I'm just grateful there were a lot of players who put their hands up and played their socks off for us.

"Fatigue has set in for a lot of our regular players. If you look at it they have been playing without a real break for two years now."

Pirates host Black Leopards in their final PSL game on Wednesday night (19:30 kick-off).
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE