Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is not sweating over the long-term injury sustained by key defender Olisa Ndah.
Ndah has been ruled out for the rest of the year after suffering a tibia fracture during the Buccaneers' PSL victory against Polokwane City last month, limiting his coach’s option in central defence.
The Nigerian had started all games and also captained the side before the setback but will have to watch proceedings on the sidelines following the injury. However, his coach is not losing sleep over his absence as he believes he has enough options at his disposal.
“Players want to play games, Olisa was in an exceptional moment of his career and it’s a pity that he cannot be part of the team for the upcoming months, but we have solutions within the squad,” said Riveiro.
How does Jose Riveiro plan to replace Ndah?
“It’s not a headache in that sense, we have quality in the squad. Enough to immediately find the player who is going to replace Olisa as it happened in the final [MTN8] already. Olisa didn’t play but we played an international player like [Nkosinathi] Sibisi.
“Tapelo [Xoki] is coming back soon, our captain Innocent Maela, we have many players who can play that role, so the headaches are always the same, to find the best starting XI to play in a squad of 39 players, so this week isn’t an exception in that sense.”
In the absence of the injured Tapelo Xoki, Ndah and Thabiso Sesane had been building a central defensive partnership but that is not going to be there for months, meaning Riveiro will have to keep shuffling his pack.
The Spanish mentor is, however, not worried that the Nigerian’s absence will affect stability in defence, backing the rest to produce the goods when called upon.
Pirates coach keen to utilise his entire squad
“The fact that Olisa is not going to be around for a long time is something we cannot change,” said Riveiro, whose side take on Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout Round of 16 on Saturday.
“People who are taking care of Olisa, everybody else in the same department [medical] is working as hard as possible so that they are back as soon as possible. But our mind is on the players available, they are ready as shown in the final, like Sibisi.
“It talks about the readiness in the squad, conditional and mentality to immediately perform, one of the strengths in our squad. We are going to find a way to continue being a team who is not depending on one or two players.
“It doesn’t matter who is on the field, we try to play the same type of football with the same intention, with the same mentality, that is the meaning of the word team, we try to be that team who isn’t missing everybody.”
