Ertugral wants to avoid making any more apologies when Orlando Pirates meet Platinum Stars

27 September 2016 - 15:55 By Marc Strydom

Two teams who have had recent wake-up calls go head to head when a Platinum Stars side who relish taking on the big three clubs meet Orlando Pirates in Tuesday night’s Premier Soccer League match at Orlando Stadium. Pirates were denied an opportunity to try to bounce back from their 0-0 home draw against Cape Town City last Wednesday – a performance so poor their coach‚ Muhsin Ertugral‚ apologised for it – against Bidvest Wits this past weekend. The fixture against Gavin Hunt’s on-form Wits was called off at the last hour by the Premier Soccer League after a threat by SMS of a “Fees Must Fall” protest derailing the game. If there have been minor early alarm bells for the tenure of new Bucs coach Muhsin Ertugral‚ he would relish his side quelling those with a convincing performance against Platinum. An apparent airport bust-up between the coach and defender Edwin Gyimah returning from a 2-1 victory against Ajax Cape Town‚ mysterious and costly fielding of hapless Felipe Ovono in goal ahead of stalwart Brighton Mhlongo and the draw with City have set off small question marks. In an under pressure environment such as Pirates‚ the at times combustible Ertugral will want to keep these issues just that – small. Ertugral had personally apologised for a draw against new PSL team City – coached by last season’s Bucs coach Eric Tinkler – where a flat Pirates had a 10-minute period of dominance but otherwise conceded a number of clear chances. He was critical of his players‚ too‚ though. “The entries in the last third‚ the last pass‚ the decisions‚ the right movement‚” Ertugral said after that game at Orlando Stadium.“When to go‚ when to stay. This is just not good enough. We’re working on it every day. “We’re working on angled balls. It’s a long‚ long way to go to where some of the players need to understand how to play to instructions.” Platinum Stars coach Cavin Johnson also had reason for displeasure after his young team – third-placed finishers last season – lost their first match of the season at home to promoted Baroka FC in Rustenburg on Saturday. Johnson was not pleased at how his team allowed themselves to underestimate promoted First Division champions Baroka‚ who earned their first win ever in the PSL thanks to Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali’s penalty. “It’s a wake-up call‚ but at the same time you have to give these teams no respect‚ because they don’t give you any respect‚” Johnson said. “And we knew that – we knew they would come here and run at us. “You saw after they got a penalty‚ the goalkeeper was going down with cramp‚ acting and things like that‚ but those are things we know we have to come up against.” Pirates began the season looking fit and menacing – the effects of fitness trainer Elsa Storm’s modern regime showing – and will want to rediscover that sharpness against Stars. - TMG Digital..

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