Augusto Palacios hits back at critics
By Njabulo Ngidi | IOL |
Orlando Pirates’ interim coach Augusto Palacios has hit out at critics who label him soft.
The Peruvian’s managerial stance has come under fire as Pirates’ miserable season continues, made worse by their uninspiring performances. The Buccaneers have gone eight games without win.
“I hear people say that I am too soft, maybe these people slept with me one day to see that I am soft,” Palacios said.
He said this after Pirates 2-1 loss to Bidvest Wits at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.
The match was Palacios’ second last before the new coach takes over on Monday.
Palacios last game will be against Cape Town City on Saturday in the Mother City.
“Every club goes through a transition,” Palacios said. “It’s happening at Pirates now. But the people sometime forget what this club has done in the past, to win the treble.
“There are a lot of new players that need to be moulded into the team. I hear people say that Palacios should be fired. But I don’t want the job. I am doing this because my heart is in this team. I would die for this club. Any job that the chairman would give me, I would do it.
“The press in Peru say that the people (at Loftus Versfeld) were trying to kill me. This is the first time I experienced something like this. But I needed to be strong to soldier on.
“I hope that on Saturday we can have a good result so that the new coach starts on a better note because the success of Pirates is everyone’s success.
“When the team is struggling, you can’t go out to pour petrol, you can’t go to the mall and you can’t walk around. I always want to do well for this club.”
