How have preparations gone for this epic battle?

Well, nothing special. I always believe that when you talk of such important matches tactical plans, tactical surprises weigh very little. The whole thing is done at the level of the players’ minds, that’s where everything is decided. It is a psychological task and accordingly we do that type of preparations more than anything else.

At the beginning of the season you said the league championship will go down to the wire…

My judgement was based on the fact that our season was going to be very hectic with abnormal fixture congestions and the fluctuations in form for all the teams. No team in the PSL can say they had a smooth season. Even those teams who had a comfortable arrangement of fixtures, Pirates included, suffered.

We did them great favours in the beginning of the season for being put to rest for some weeks. Now they are doing us some favours and that’s part of the abnormality of our season.

Your have stated that this game will not be a championship decider…

Isn’t that obvious! Let’s suppose they win. If they win, we still have a game in hand and that game becomes more important. Secondly, if we win then the situation is that the game in hand is big bonus at the end of the season.

It’s going to be an extremely difficult match for both teams. We still have to recover from the last two matches. We played two matches in intervals of four days. I wish I could have another day to rest some of the players because we only had four days to prepare for Pirates. But take it from me, it is going to be a very tense encounter and I am sure the maximum pressure is going to be on Pirates.

Any injuries on your side?

Most of the players who gave me a lot of worries are back. Not hundred percent but I think good enough to make it for Saturday. I still have two of them out for a long time. I am talking about (Lucky) Mzizi and (Songwe) Chalwe but the rest are ready for selection.

You lost 2-1 in the first round…

Yes and I think undeservedly. We definitely deserved a point from that match but last-minute lack of concentration made us to forget about (Benedict) Vilakazi, who came from nowhere to make good contact with the ball and that was the end. I thought we really deserved one point from that match.

Much has been said about playing formations and South African style of play. What can Amakhosi supporters expect on Saturday afternoon?

I am still waiting for the birth of South African style of play. We haven’t noticed that style as yet. All the components and ingredients are there but we are still searching for that.

From the point of view of approach to the game, I think both teams play short passing mixed with long passing. We do have individuals that can excite the crowd and we do have that flair if you want to call it that way, Scara (Ngobese), sometimes Shoes (Moshoeu) and sometimes (Collins) Mbesuma. Pirates also have their aces but overall it is going to be an exciting match no question about that regardless of what system or style of play or line-ups are going to be offered to the public.

Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza believes Collins Mbesuma is the main man and that Tonic Chabalala could be assigned to keep him quite?

I am so glad it comes from the chairman. Well I think differently. Sometimes Collins is a fast growing player. And here I am talking about mental maturity and sometimes he doesn’t deliver the best. But yes I think he deserves some attention and some respect. While saying I am happy about that situation, we may have some other solutions.

Pirates coach Kosta Papic said he hopes this is not his last Soweto derby. Is this your last derby?

From the point of view of future plans for me it could be. I have a very big challenge ahead of me but I don’t want to talk about that now.

I hope it’s not the last for Papic because he’s just reached the time or phase when he says ‘what I taught about South African football I had to change it and now I realise there are very important components of style and I am glad I managed to change and accept those changes’ I congratulate him for that I think the group makes stronger, those who believe that there is a strong culture in South African football or African in general. It’s up to us to discover it , improve it and perfect it.

What’s your feeling about the match and your general approach on the day?

Attack, attack, attack (laughs)! It is going to be a balanced game. We have to always respect our opponents. We looked at the general pattern and I think Pirates need to be respected regardless of their current form.

I don’t believe they lost their form or anything like that. Come Saturday we are going to see them flying. So yes we are going to have a very balanced approach. We are going to look at our departments to get that harmony between winning the ball, building up with the ball, finishing with the ball and then being ready for what they are going to throw at us.

It’s been a long season for Amakhosi. Do you feel your team can retain the Castle Premiership title?

I never lost hope. We went through some difficult challenges and I don’t want to talk about that at this stage. This has been the most difficult season in my career.