Orlando Pirates coach Zinnbauer: Winning four Soweto derbies in a row against Kaizer Chiefs is important to me

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has emphasised the importance of beating Kaizer Chiefs yet again in Sunday’s Soweto derby clash at FNB Stadium as he recalls the little faith in him when he took up this job.

Zinnbauer first tasted the confrontation between the two sides in a league in February 2020 and was on the losing side as Chiefs won 1-0 away at Orlando Stadium.

But since then, the tide has shifted with the Pirates coach leading his side to three victories over their traditional foes this season.

Zinnbauer says when he first arrived in South Africa in December 2019, there was no trust in him but he has managed to earn the faith of the Buccaneers supporters.

“First of all we have to win the game,” said Zinnbauer as per Sowetan Live.

“This is important to me if I win four in a row. Yes‚ I’m happy about it but we work a lot on ourselves. We have to play this game and we have to focus on this game. It will be good for the supporters. It’s the 100th [league] derby but for me, as a coach, you aim to get three points in this game.

“I can’t forget the first time I came here‚ and nobody trusted me. But now we fight together‚ we fight and work for all these results. I hope this is not the end because as we go forward we need more points. For me, this gives more motivation as we go forward.”

Zinnbauer has already clocked 50 games across all competitions as coach of Orlando Pirates since his arrival in South Africa in December 2019.

In those games he has guided Pirates to 30 wins, 14 draws and six defeats.

As he enters into his 51st match in charge of Pirates, the German, however, acknowledges that their supremacy over “top club” Chiefs this season does guarantee them victory on Sunday.

“I know it will be a hard game for us against top opponents‚ a top club‚ and we have to focus on this,” Zinnbauer said.

“Yes‚ I saw the statistic also and I’m happy about it but it’s not my work alone. I have Fadlu [Davids‚ Zinnbauer’s assistant] and all the other technical team members including fitness coaches. This comes from the work of all of these guys‚ the management‚ the chairman [Irvin Khoza]‚ all of us are working on these results.

“They also deserve this statistic. It’s not just me alone. I have to thank all these guys and especially the squad. The team takes the points‚ they fight for the points and they come back when we’ve had a bad game. And when we lose a game they come into the next game and bring us a win.

“That’s the kind of teamwork that we need for a side like this. We have now these statistics‚ which I’m happy about."