Ertugral fears Orlando Pirates' mental fragility ahead of Soweto Derby with Kaizer Chiefs

MUHSIN ERTUGRAL is concerned about the state of mind Orlando Pirates will be in when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday’s Soweto Derby.

While he believes the Buccaneers are the stronger of the two sides, the man who has previously coached both of the country’s most supported clubs fears the title-chasers could be psychologically compromised.

Ertugral believes the CAF Champions League semi-final defeat by Pyramids will have taken a significant toll on Pirates.

“Psychologically, Pirates have an issue after what happened at the weekend," said Ertugral.

"We all would have liked for them to reach the final, and they would have believed they could as well. But now, the question is: how do they recover from that blow?

So, I believe the emotional state Pirates will be in — after failing to reach the Champions League final — is going to be a huge factor in the derby.”

Unbeaten throughout the continent’s premier club knockout competition, Pirates were favourites to reach the final against the upstart Egyptian side. But their failure to protect a lead — not once, but twice — proved their undoing, as they eventually lost 3-2.

Despite their defensive frailties in that match, Ertugral still believes Pirates will go into the derby as favourites in front of a packed FNB Stadium at the weekend.

“Of course, there were a few defensive situations they could have avoided, but they are playing exciting, offensive football and are well structured. It is difficult to say who will win, because every derby game has its own story to tell.

"But Pirates look the stronger of the two at the moment. For Chiefs, the key will be getting in behind Pirates' defensive line and causing stress that way, as Pirates are used to having the ball in front of them.”

Reflecting on his many experiences in the Soweto Derby, Ertugral — who has also coached clubs such as Cape Town City, Golden Arrows, and the now-defunct Santos, Ajax Cape Town, and Witbank Aces — highlights the 1-1 draw in Durban back in 2007 as one of his most memorable.

“It has to be that match when Mabhuti (Khenyeza) scored very, very early in Durban,” Ertugral recalled.

“It was a highly hyped match with a huge international audience because of the World Cup preliminary draw taking place in the city that weekend. We needed to present a good picture of South African football, and the two teams lived up to the hype.”

A well-travelled coach, he has experienced derbies around the world, but the Turkish native insists there is nothing like the Soweto Derby.

“One thing I love about this derby that you will never find anywhere else in the world is that both sets of fans sit together. There is so much fighting in football — just last year in Argentina, River Plate had no supporters because they couldn’t get into the stadium for the match against Boca Juniors unless they snuck in wearing the opposition’s jersey.

"In Turkey, between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, there’s always fighting. The Soweto Derby is special because you can enjoy it with your family, even if you support opposite teams. It’s better than anywhere else in the world.”

As a coach, Ertugral says it’s impossible not to be swept up in the emotion of the derby: “You are part of it.

"It is such a huge occasion — you have to live it. Everyone gets involved, even the injured players. You suddenly see them jumping and looking fit because they don’t want to miss out.

"I was fortunate in that, at Chiefs, most of the players understood the culture of the derby. Players like Jabu Pule came from the youth side and they knew exactly what the derby means. They could identify with the match and its significance.”