A downhearted Orlando Pirates coach said he was ‘responsible’ after the Soweto giants suffered another gut-wrenching defeat in the CAF Confederations
A downhearted Orlando Pirates coach said he was ‘responsible’ after the Soweto giants suffered another gut-wrenching defeat in the CAF Confederations final, this time at the hands of RS Berkane on Friday night.
Pirates lost 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate following extra-time at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Nigeria.
The Buccaneers fall at the final hurdle for the third consecutive time in CAF competitions. The Soweto giants lost the 2013 Champions League final to Al Ahly and were defeated 2-1 on aggregate by Etoile du Sahel in the 2013 Confederation Cup final.
In his post-match remarks, Ncikazi said, “When the team doesn’t win, it is the coach’s fault; it is our responsibility.
“You can point in every direction when you enter the door; your responsibility as a coach is to make the team win, no matter how many excuses you can put in front, but it is still your responsibility.
“I take the blame; I am the one who is not helping the team to win matches; until that changes, then it is our responsibility as a coach, so there is no other excuse,” he added.
Ncikazi also lamented Bucs’ lack of concentration in key moments and their Achilles heel this campaign of failing to convert the chances they are creating.
“Currently, the team is not scoring, and it is the coach’s responsibility. We lost the final, a match that we shouldn’t have lost. It’s a match that we should’ve won in normal time, the story of our season.
“We create so many chances, dominate the match, but we just don’t do what’s most important, putting the ball in the net.”
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