Jonevret set for first appearance on the Pirates bench after receiving temporary work permit

New Orlando Pirates coach Kjell Jonevret has been granted a temporary work permit and will be on the bench for his first game on Saturday in a tricky Absa Premiership encounter against Polokwane City.

Jonevret will play his first match in the pressure hot-seat of the Buccaneers at their home ground‚ Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

He will have only trained the team for two days as the temporary work permit‚ officially called a temporary residence visa in South Africa‚ was only granted by Home Affairs late on Wednesday‚ Pirates’ administrative officer Floyd Mbele said.

“We got it yesterday (Wednesday). But we got it late in the day so he could only start training the team today (Thursday)‚” Mbele said on Thursday.

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“He will have had two sessions training the team‚ though maybe three as they might train twice tomorrow [on Friday].”

Jonevret might be grateful to face Polokwane City‚ who have had a good season playing dangerous if somewhat erratic football under Belgian coach Luc Eymael‚ in his first match.

As unpredictable and therefore potentially difficult an opponent Polokwane can be‚ Saturday’s match will at least give Jonevret the chance to sit on Bucs’ bench for 90 minutes before their huge next match‚ the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs.

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Pirates meet Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday‚ March 4‚ which would have been some fixture for Jonevret‚ still completely new to South African football‚ to make his PSL coaching debut on.

After an impressive start to the season Polokwane have had an unconvincing beginning to 2017‚ drawing three matches.

Those results mean Eymael's team have not won in five matches.

City's last win came at home against Chippa United‚ 1-0 on December 14.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport