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Pirates appoint new goalkeeper coach

football24 June 2019 08:01| © Mzansi Football
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Andrew Sparkes © Getty Images

Orlando Pirates have moved swiftly to fill the void left by departed Andrew Sparkes with the appointment of Finland’s Jyri Nieminen as first-team goalkeeper coach.

The 31-year-old joins from Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes in the United States, where he also acted as assistant coach.

Despite his tender years, he has already had an extensive coaching career that has seen him work at Finnish clubs BK-46, FC Honka (under-19s) and TPS, where he was also assistant coach. He then moved to Estonia as that country's academy goalkeeping co-ordinator and worked with the junior national teams at all levels.

He later spent three years at the Aspire Academy in Qatar, as well as goalkeeper coach for the country's U17s.

He was appointed as goalkeeper coach for the Earthquakes in January 2018, but has left for a fresh challenge at Pirates.

"Nieminen received his Uefa A Goalkeeping license in 2016, possesses a degree in physical education and has a working knowledge of six languages, including fluency in English," Pirates said in a statement on Monday.

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