Orlando Pirates coach Ruud Krol put his cards on the table on Wednesday, stating that his priority was winning the MTN8
quarter-final clash against Ajax Cape Town at Ellis Park next week and that his team would only use the Telkom Charity Cup as preparation for the kick-off of the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.
Krol said he wanted to set the record straight in Rustenburg on
Saturday when 'Bucs' and Chiefs clash in their second Soweto Derby
within 10 days in the second Charity Cup semifinal. But he added it
would not be a train smash should Pirates not get through to the
final of the annual Charity tournament that opens the PSL season.
'Bucs' were beaten by 'Amakhosi in a sudden death penalty shootout
in the Vodacom Challenge semifinals in Port Elizabeth last Thursday
night and Pirates fans are hoping for revenge. Chiefs went on to
win the final by beating ambitious big spending English Premiership
giants Manchester City 2-0 in the final at Loftus last Saturday.
'Bucs', however, had the satisfaction of beating City in the
opening Challenge clash played in Polokwane.
"Obviously we want to beat Chiefs and that is where we are
focussed," Krol said on Wednesday.
"We will try and do better than we did last week. We played
badly in the first half and did well in the second but lost on
penalties.
"We made mistakes against Chiefs last time and we have been
working hard trying to rectify them at training.
"But the bigger game is the MTN 8 match (against Ajax). I will
be using the Charity Cup to bring back my four Bafana Bafana
players (striker Katlego Mashego, midfielders Teko Modise and
Benson Mhlongo, and defender Innocent Mdledle) and give them game
time.
"They were given a rest after playing in the Confederations Cup
last month and now need to get more time on the pitch."
Krol stressed that he would have to nurse his four Bafana stars
this season.
"We have a tight PSL programme this season due to the 2010 World
Cup finals in June. Not only will there be pressure on all players
during what will be an even more competitive PSL season but the
international players have a lot of matches as well.
"I will have to manage them carefully but it will not be easy."
The fact that the quartet will feature is good news for 'Bucs'
fans who are hoping their side will retain the Charity Cup title.
And Krol said that his two new strikers, Gert Schalkwyk and
Dennis Masina, could also get some game time.
Schalkwyk was injured when he joined Pirates from Chiefs in the
off-season and has just returned to full fitness, while Masina has
recently signed from PSL champions SuperSport United.
Krol said that he had no regrets letting former Bafana
midfielder Lebogang 'Cheeseboy' Mokoena leave to join Mamelodi
Sundowns who play Platinum Stars in the first semifinal on
Saturday.
"I released him because I have better players in my squad," Krol
said, adding that veteran Zimbabwean international striker Gilbert
Mushangazhike had also left and had joined newly promoted
Mpumalanga Black Aces.