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Cape Town - Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler has admitted the loss of Kermit Erasmus to Ligue 1 side AS Rennes is a major blow, but insists the club needs to move on.
After this weekends draw in the Soweto Derby the Buccaneers head coach wished the Bafana Bafana striker well on his move to the French side and feels it's an opportunity for others to step up and replace the club's top scorer last season.
"I don't want to dwell on the situation with Kermit," Tinkler said in the post-match interview.
"Obviously he was an important member of our squad but things change, time moves on. He's gone to Europe and we wish him all the best and hope he represents our country very well.
"He left for what, according to me, was a family emergency because of his wife, in Holland. So it did come as a surprise.
"We move on and focus on the players we have, who need to step up. Lehlohonolo Majoro, [against Chiefs] had stages where he did well. But that will come. He needs to play - we know his capabilities.
"And obviously it's opened the door for guys like Tendai Ndoro and a youngster like Letsie Koapeng. They must step up and show they're ready.
"Personally I'd like to see us finish better than we did last season, which is fourth, and we still have that possibility."
Since returning back to the Premiership from Feyenoord in 2010, Erasmus scored 32 goals and registered 15 assists in 132 league games.
