Orlando Pirates coach drops new striker from wish list after finding internal solution 

While a number of teams will be strengthening their attacks in the January transfer window, Orlando Pirates have no desire to beef up this area.

Not because there are no good targets but due to coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s need to give opportunities to a player who has struggled for game time at the club.

The player is Sifiso Luthuli who made a great return to the side by scoring a brilliant goal during their 2-0 Carling Black Label Cup match against the All Stars on Saturday.

Luthuli came on in the second half and broke the deadlock with his very first touch, lobbing the goalkeeper to finish off a Deon Hotto pass, before Boitumelo Radiopane made the result secure with the second goal.

Why is Ouaddou keeping trust in Luthuli?

The 24-year-old has made a return to the squad after recovering from a long-term injury but he was featuring for the Pirates reserve team and now, Ouaddou wants to give him a prominent role in the senior team.

“About Luthuli, sometimes you don’t need two weeks or one month to see a good player, unfortunately he was injured for a long time. But definitely he is a player who can surprise many people in the second part of the season,” Ouaddou said of the striker.

“I was with Mr Robert Marawa on his show, he was asking me what are my wishes for the second half of the season – I said maybe a striker but I think I have to say that we don’t need striker we have one at the club and we will do with him. He is a good player.”

Pirates are loaded in the strikers’ department with Radiopane, Yanele Mbuthuma, Evidence Makgopa and Tshegofatso Mabasa all competing for a starting berth upfront and Luthuli will now be added to the list.