'We were not playing for the coaches' - Ex-Orlando Pirates star Lekgwathi

Former Orlando Pirates defender Lucky Lekgwathi has claimed they did not specifically play according to their coaches' style during his time with the Premier Soccer League side.

The retired star, 45, made the claim as he asked Bucs to keep Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids as their coaches.

Playing for ourselves

"If you look at these European coaches, they come to our teams and they want to change the styles of our players. They came to our team and some of them wanted to change the style of our players," Lekgwathi told Goal.

"I used to tell them [his teammates] that 'look, we are not playing for the coach, we are playing for ourselves, so do not change our style. Why do you want to change our style'? 

"The coach would come and tell me when you get the ball you must do 1,2,3. Yes, I would listen to the coach, but only for 10% but 90%, I must think for myself."

Ncikazi and Davids have been in charge of Pirates since Josef Zinnbauer parted ways with the club and Lekgwathi has told his former side to look at what has happened at Mamelodi Sundowns since Pitso Mosimane left and give the local coaches a chance.

Steve Komphela, Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena were given the responsibility to steer Masandawana when Mosimane left for Al Ahly and the success the trio has achieved with the PSL winners, according to Lekgwathi, is a lesson Pirates must take on board.

Mamelodi Sundowns

"I think they [Pirates] want to give them a chance to see whether they have the capability of helping the team. It is good to have local coaches and let us give them a chance to prove their talents," Lekgwathi added.

"See Sundowns, Pitso left and they did not go and find another coach. [Steve] Komphela is not a replacement for Pitso and they are doing very well.

"I still think they can do well because they are local and if they are not going to change the South African style."

Meanwhile, Lekgwathi, who spent over a decade with the Soweto giants, explained what the former PSL champions must do in order to regain their glorious past.

"If you look at Orlando Pirates, it is a new team," Lekgwathi said.
 
"It is a new team and I think the coach is still looking for a combination that will work. It is not going to work now, so we just have to give him time, unless they continue to do the chopping and changing. My team's problem is to chop and change every season.
 
"We buy five players and want them to play at the same time, which is wrong."