Orlando Pirates coach Fadlu Davids says the return of “key players” from injuries made a huge difference in the squad.
Pirates have received a boost before the festive season break as important players of Thembinkosi Lorch, Zakhele Lepasa and Innocent Maela returned from injury
Davids has stated that it was the toughest first half of the season, despite his side occupying second in the DStv Premiership table.
Lorch has made six appearances with two assists, while Lepasa only featured in the last game of the year against AmaZulu – and Maela played three games while Gabadinho Mhango appeared four times with one assist.
The Buccaneers have suffered from injuries since the beginning of the season, but managed to accumulate 30 points in 19 games – they will also be welcoming the likes of Vincent Pule and Richard Ofori next year.
“It’s a huge booster, we are not coaches to really complain about players who are not available,” Davids told the media. “But it’s been a tough period where you have seven of your starting players not available.
“Moreover, your front view of Lepasa, Lorch and Pule, where your creativity, where you key passes, where your assists, goals come from.
“A lot of matches that we have drawn, we were really creating opportunities to be able to win. And yeah, that’s eight to 10 points out of those draws, those five draws that we definitely should have won.
“We are not complaining, the players are back, Pule and Ofori will be back as well in the new year. So, we’ll have a full squad ready to first take a break, credit to the squad that came in really creating competition plays that came and get the job.
“But now the competition starts where everybody is back, and the performance level will determine which player is on the pitch in the second half [of the season].”
