Zinnbauer hits back at doubters after setting new Orlando Pirates record

Josef Zinnbauer has hit back at Orlando Pirates fans who doubted his abilities as a coach when he first arrived in South Africa from Germany.

Zinnbauer arrived in December 2019 as a relatively unknown manager but while he continues to be criticized, he has certainly proved his critics wrong.

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On Wednesday, Zinnbauer became the club’s best coach after 50 official games in the PSL era, overtaking Kostadin Papic (56% win percentage) who coached the Buccaneers in the mid-2000s.

Zinnbauer made it 30 wins in 50 games for Bucs with a 2-1 victory over Enyimba in the CAF Confederation Cup, and his win percentage shot up to 60%.

The former Hamburger SV boss has suffered just six defeats and recorded 14 draws as head coach of the Sea Robbers.

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But Zinnbauer was still modest enough to credit everyone at the club for the new record before admitting that nobody, including the majority of Pirates fans, trusted him he joined the Soweto giants.

“I am happy about it [the new record] but it’s not my work alone. Fadlu Davids, Darian Wilken as an analyst, fitness coaches… this is the results of all these guys,” Zinnbauer told the media.  

“The medical guys, the management and they deserve the statistics also, not me alone.”

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“I also have to thank the team. They fight for the points. They run for the points. They come back when we have a bad game and give us the win,” said Zinnbauer.

He added: “This is the kind of teamwork we need to get results. As a coach, I know it is not easy, especially at big clubs like Pirates or any big club. It is not always easy to work.”

“I won’t forget the first time I came here… nobody trusted me but now we fight together, we fight for each other and we work for results,” concluded Zinnbauer.

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