We will not reveal why Gabuza is not playing‚ says Pirates coach Sredojevic

Orlando Pirates coach Miltutin Sredojevic has opened a can of worms over the absence from his line-up on Tuesday night of striker Thamsanqa Gabuza against Cape Town City by refusing to disclose the reason.

Pirates beat City 1-0 thanks to Thabo Qalinge’s 82nd-minute strike without Gabuza in the match 18 for the Absa Premiership match at FNB Stadium.

With the big centre-forward normally key to Bucs’ gameplan‚ Sredojevic was asked about Gabuza’s absence in the post-match press conference.

The coach would not disclose the full reason.

“There is something that needs to be kept within the team that we don’t want to put out in public‚” Sredojevic said.

“But we want to tell you that he has been out of the team for reasons known by us and we are not ready to reveal them.

"However we shall see what will happen and whether he will be available for the game against Wits.”

Pirates meet Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday.

Pressed on the reasons for Gabuza’s absence‚ Sredojevic perhaps added fuel to the mystery by changing his tune and saying the decision to omit the striker was tactical.

“It was because of tactical reasons that he was out of the team‚” the coach said. “Let us say it’s so‚ and I am finishing there.”

Quite apart from the questions that will be raised about what is going on with Gabuza‚ the striker’s absence also raised a serious question about Pirates’ depth at centre-forward.

Bucs had to play midfielder Bernard Morrison up-front‚ and the Ghanaian was ineffective and had to be substituted early in the second half.

Pirates sold their only other natural centre-forward‚ Tendai Ndoro‚ to Al-Faisaly in Saudi Arabia in the off-season. - TimesLIVE