‘We need to respect Zinnbauer’ – Manenzhe insists amid Orlando Pirates and Komphela links

Former Orlando Pirates striker Phumdzo Manenzhe has insisted Josef Zinnbauer needs to be respected. 

The Buccaneers have been credited with an interest in Steve Komphela, who is currently part of the Mamelodi Sundowns technical team as the senior coach.

Komphela has reportedly been earmarked by Bucs management as a potential replacement for Zinnbauer at the Houghton-based giants.

Zinnbauer’s future at Pirates is said to be uncertain after he failed to guide Pirates to a top-two finish in the PSL in the recent 2020/21 season.

“Steve Komphela is contracted to Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have a coach in Josef Zinnbauer, we need to respect that,” Manenzhe told the media. 

It has been speculated that a release clause amount of R28 million in Komphela’s contract at Sundowns could hold up his reported move to the Soweto giants.

Reports linking Komphela with the Buccaneers intensified after his former assistant at Maritzburg United and Lamontville Golden Arrows joined Pirates last month.

Manenzhe, who was on the books of Pirates between 2002 and 2007, has backed the club’s decision to add Ncikazi to its technical team. 

“Bringing in Ncikazi will definitely take the Pirates technical team to another level. [The] reason I’m saying that, is you look at the style that Arrows was playing last season,” he said.

“The model, the philosophy that Ncikazi had, winning games in style. For Arrows to be able to stay in the top three for most of the season speaks volumes.”

Ncikazi steered Arrows to their highest finish in the PSL as the team finished fourth during the recent campaign having replaced Komphela as the head coach prior to the start of that particular season.

“Bringing him in will (add) a different dynamic to Orlando Pirates and being South African, understanding the strengths and weakness of players will add value,” Manenzhe added. 

“If he can bring the same mentality he had at Arrows, I see Pirates aiming higher.” 

Pirates are set to take on archrivals Kaizer Chiefs in the 2021 Carling Black Label Cup clash at Orlando Stadium on August 1.