Segolela identifies three departments Orlando Pirates should reinforce

The ex-Buccaneers star has given transfer recommendations to coach Josef Zinnbauer whom he also hailed as having done well at the club

Former Orlando Pirates winger Tlou Segolela has suggested that the Soweto giants sign a goalkeeper, centre-back and a midfielder in the next transfer window.

Following a season in which Pirates’ chances of lifting the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title are very slim, Segolela feels that the team should be beefed up for next term.

“As you see, Pirates now have a nice foundation,” said Segolela as per Sun Sport.

“I can say the team needs to sign a centre-back, goalkeeper and in the middle, they need that one hard player who will do the dirty job for them and release the attacking players to score goals.”

Pirates have scored the second-highest number of goals (35) in the PSL so far this season and coach Josef Zinnbauer appears to have a decent strikeforce highlighted by the league’s top goal-scorer Frank Mhango, who has scored 14 times.

This has left Segolela recommending reinforcement in other departments.

Experienced Wayne Sandilands is the current Pirates number one goalkeeper and he was having a good season before football was paused in South Africa after a nervy start to the term.

They also have Siyabonga Mphontshane, who has struggled for game time, and Frenchman Joris Delle, who started the season ahead of Sandilands but was elbowed out as number one after a series of blunders.

This has seen the Soweto giants being linked with Bidvest Wits shot-stopper Brandon Peterson and Maritzburg United’s Richard Ofori.

In the backline, Pirates have been battling to find a trusted partner for captain Happy Jele at the heart of the defence.

Largely due to a non-impressive combination between the goalkeeping department and defenders, Pirates have conceded the highest number of goals (26) in the top six in the PSL standings.

The arrival of South Africa and Bidvest Wits skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo, who is strongly linked with a move to the club, would be a big catch for Zinnbauer.

Former Maritzburg defender and free agent Siyanda Xulu has also been talked about as a Pirates transfer target, together with his former central defence partner at the Team of Choice, Rushine de Reuck, who is reportedly eyeing a move to Europe.

Wits midfielder Deon Hotto has also been reported as on Pirates’ radar and but it remains to be seen if Zinnbauer manages to secure most of his rumoured targets.

Segolela has hailed the German as having made players believe in his coaching methods.

“Players are starting to believe in the coach’s philosophy, style of play. Usually, those things take long but they have to get it right,” Segolela said.

Pirates are currently in the fourth position on the PSL log but have strong chances of finishing third, which would hand them a spot in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.

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