Posted in News on Sep 08, 2011.
While the atmosphere was jovial as the two coaches kept the media entertained with their special humor the Chiefs coach began with some happy news as he declared that he has a full squad to select from for the final.
A beaming Vermezovic said, “I am pleased to say that we have everyone available for the game, players who had been in doubt like Siphiwe Tshabalala and Lehlohonolo Majoro are all fit and so are Reneilwe Letsholonyane and George Lebese who have trained with the team all through the week.”
For his part the Pirates mentor was also pleased to have close to his full complement of players available for the game, “we had six players in the Bafana Bafana squad that went to Niger, they have all been training with us from the beginning of the week, we have one injury concern and we also have Benni McCarthy suspended. The team is excited and the motivation is high in the team.”
Vermezovic who leads Chiefs into the third consecutive Cup Final in as many seasons spoke of the importance of the occasion and added, “it is something special to play Orlando Pirates and especially in a Cup final we hope that we will make a good game of it on Saturday, there are two big teams in the final and there are lost os expectations.”
The Chiefs mentor also let in that he felt that Chiefs successes against Pirates last season which saw the Amakhosi win one and draw one league encounter against them, as well defeat their old rivals in the Telkom Knockout Cup Final could be playing on the minds of the Pirates players who will try to rectify that this season against the Amakhosi.
As he added “lots of people have been talking about our pre-season clashes against them, they have forgotten about last season’s games against them when we beat them 3-1 in the league and 3-0 in the Cup Final.
"Only Siyabonga Sangweni was not around but the rest of the Pirates players who will line up in the tunnel on Saturday will remember those games, I don’t have to remind them about that. Pirates are playing with a lot of confidence.”
The Pirates coach was also questioned about his fine record against Chiefs as he went unbeaten against the Amakhosi when he was coach of Amazulu and Moroka Swallows of this he said, “statistics are in the past and if you rely too much on history you need should be in a museum.” The Pirates coaches comments drew rapturous laughter from the gathered media.
The last word was left for the Chiefs coach who added, “ I have been informed by my statistician that the last two Chiefs coaches who won the MTN8 Cup were fired before the season ended. Well that is another stat that we will aim not to repeat.”
