Orlando Pirates announce surprise departure of coach
In a sudden and unexpected development, Orlando Pirates have announced the departure of one of their coaches.
The shocking announcement comes a day after Pirates achieved a remarkable victory in defending their Nedbank Cup title. They emerged victorious, coming from a goal down to defeat the DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in a thrilling match at a packed Mbombela Stadium.
Relebohile Mofokeng emerged as the hero by scoring a brilliant late winner, following Patrick Maswanganyi’s equaliser for Pirates, which came after Themba Zwane’s opening goal.
While Pirates players and supporters were still celebrating the 2023/24 cup double, having also won the MTN8 by beating Sundowns again, the Soweto giants announced that assistant coach Sergio Almenara would be leaving the club by mutual consent.
In June 2022, Almenara arrived in South Africa along with head coach José Riveiro to join Pirates as the first assistant coach. Over the course of two seasons, they achieved significant success, winning four trophies, including the MTN and Nedbank Cup twice each. In addition, they secured qualification for the CAF Champions League on two occasions.
Sergio Almenara explains why he is leaving Pirates
However, Almenara has disclosed that he will be departing from the Soweto giants as a result of personal reasons.
“This is a decision I took with a heavy heart. “I have really enjoyed my stay here, but unfortunately, due to personal matters that the club is aware of, I can no longer continue with my job,” said Almenara.
“I have a young family back in Finland. They have been unable to integrate into the country. I would have wished to stay longer, but unfortunately, it’s not possible.
He added: “I would like to thank the management, the technical team, players, and most importantly, the fans for my stay. I will always remain a Buccaneer.”
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