Following an uncertain season with interim coach Rhulani Mokoena, Orlando Pirates rushed into the market for a new coach.
Today, the Soweto giants have announced the appointment of Josef (Joe) Zinnbauer, 49, as club’s head coach on a 3-year contract.
Dr Irvin Khoza, club chairman, commented on the recruitment of Zinnbauer:
“It is a fine balancing act that goes beyond the all-important technical skills. A coach is tasked to win through others. His ability to keep the team focused, making them work in concert, with minimal lapses is an important requirement.”
The German succeeds Mulitin “Micho” Sredojević who quit at the beginning of the season under a dark cloud.
FOX Sports reported that Zinnbauer was shown the door by the German side Hamburg Sport-Verein e.V. or Hamburg SV (HSV) after failing to improve the club’s performance in March 2015. He was promoted from their junior ranks, under-23, it said.
Mokoena will remain at the helm until Zinnbauer’s permit is secured, reported Talk Radio 702. When all the paperwork is sorted out, he will revert to his former position, that of assistant coach.
At the moment, Orlando Pirates have managed to win a meagre four (4) out of thirteen (13) leagues games. They lay sixth (6th) on the Absa Premiership log with 17 points. Kaizer Chiefs are on top with 34 points with equal number of games Pirates played.
In an interview with Henning Busch of NWZonline in November 2015, Joe Zinnbauer spoke about getting “to know the 26-player squad (FC St. Gallen, Switzerland) very much, as I’ve been here for five weeks”. It is likely that he may need more time to settle in South Africa and as such, Pirates might also need to wait a bit to see his worth to the club. On the same article, he emphasized the value of using “experienced players” to unite and bring other players on board.
Zinnbauer’s tenure at FC St. Gallen ended in 2017 having started in 2016. The former midfielder also had a 5-year spell coaching VfB Oldenburg (2005-2010) in Germany.
In 2012, he was assistant coach at Karlsrusher SC II which is a reserved club for Karlsrusher SC in Germany. Then he moved to Hamburg SV II, the reserve team for Hamburg SV, in 2014. Having begun his football and coaching career in the late 1980s and 1990s as reported by Transfermarkt, he has neither experience for playing in Africa nor coaching in Africa.