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Football | Telkom Knockout

Roger de Sa with Lucky Lekgwathi © Backpagepix

If you can't beat them, join them - Roger



Last season his Bidvest Wits side was beaten by Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout final, and Buccaneers coach Roger de Sa says his decision to go to the Soweto side was a good one.

"Last year, when I was at Wits we lost 3-1. So it's the old saying, if you can't beat them join them," De Sa said on Wednesday.

"I love my job and I've always loved my job since I became a player and now I'm a coach of one of the top teams in Africa, they're no different.

"My enjoyment level is exactly the same.”

The former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper said he still has the same enthusiasm for the game, regardless of which team he coaches.

"I still feel I'm very fortunate and one of the luckiest people in the world and every morning I get in my car and I love what I'm doing.

"When you coach, it doesn't matter where you coach. If I had to coach in Church league on a Sunday afternoon I think I would coach with the same enthusiasm I do with Pirates and I wouldn't change my way or the way I am.”

As for coaching Pirates where the pressure is on to win trophies, De Sa has welcomed the expectations.

"It's been very good and I think the players have been fantastic and very well received all round and a lot of people talk about pressure.

“I've been here seven weeks and I'm still waiting to see it.

“I don't want to tempt fate or anything like that but it's been great, there's four lines on a ball and 22 players.”

De Sa added there was no issue between himself and Bafana coach Gordon Igesund.

Injured striker Benni McCarthy was in the news over his fitness, with both Igesund and De Sa seemingly clashing over the situation.

"I don't think there was anything between Gordon and I," De Sa said.

"I just said Benni came back injured from Safa [South African Football Association] and six weeks later we hadn't heard from Safa."

De Sa explained he would want McCarthy to play as much as possible if Pirates are to be successful.

"Why would we want him sitting on the shelf injured? We want to get him back as quickly as possible, so my concern is not to get him back for Afcon, but for the next Pirates match."

De Sa hinted the Bafana striker could be back for his side's next league outing against Sundowns on November 7.

"If he makes it through a training match on Saturday, I'm hoping he makes it through 45 minutes.

"If he makes it through 45 minutes, there's a good chance he'll make the bench for Sundowns or be in the squad," said De Sa.

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