Leal?s brief: beautiful soccer

“Nothing is a guarantee in football. The three trophies are history. We have to look to the future.”

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Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza warned the hard-to-please club’s followers on Wednesday not to expect a repeat of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) treble of titles under new Brazilian coach Julio Cesar Leal in the new season.

“Nothing is a guarantee in football. The three trophies are history. We have to look to the future,” said Khoza

“We swept the boards with five titles in 1975 under coach Tony Sanderson and that has never been repeated. So it will be a miracle if we win three, let alone two.

“Obviously, the league championship is a priority. It will be great to retain the league title. As for the other trophies, they are a good addition, nice to have.”

Khoza said Pirates decided to appoint Leal because they believe he will play a crucial role in the new direction the club is taking.

“He has the capability and the experience to assist us with the kind of vision we have adopted. We need to rekindle the old culture of Pirates, playing beautiful soccer while also winning titles,” said Khoza.

The Pirates boss said that although he believed in continuity, it was decided not to renew the contract of Dutch coach Ruud Krol.

Khoza insisted there was no plan to sign a new contract with Krol or extend the current one which expires at the end of the month.

“When he joined the club, he wanted a two-year contract, but we amicably extended it to three years and that period has expired and we have parted.

“The only thing outstanding is for him is to submit his technical report by the end of June. This report will help both the new coach and the management of the club to plan accordingly. Then we can close that chapter. Ruud now has a great CV that will stand him in good stead wherever he decides to go,” said Khoza

Krol becomes the third coach to depart despite league championship successes after Roy Baretto and Gordon Igesund.

“We have to respect contracts. If there is no option for renewal we cannot say because Ruud Krol has won three titles, we must now suddenly sit down and negotiate a new contract or an extension,” said Khoza.

And Leal, brother of Bafana Bafana assistant coach Jairo Leal, certainly has no illusions about the job as he acknowledges the tough act he has to follow.

He had stints with AmaZulu and Moroka Swallows, with whom he won the Nedbank Cup in 2009.

But he parted acrimoniously with The Birds and his dispute with the club is expected to be settled in court soon.

“I’m not coming to Pirates to dismantle a system that has helped them win three trophies. Obviously, I also have my own system. But I’m not just going to impose it.

“We’ll have to evaluate all positions with a view to improving capacity and quality.

“Pirates are a big club and it is an honour and a challenge to be asked to coach this great club,” said Leal

“The world belongs to optimists and Pirates will be the team to beat in the new season.”

Khoza,who preferred not to discuss the future of the technical staff that worked under Krol, said Leal will meet the players on July 3 to start preparing for the 2011/2012 season that starts with the Vodacom Challenge featuring Kaizer Chiefs and English club Tottenham Hotspur.

*Name: Julio Cesar Leal

Date of Birth: April 13,

1951

Nationality: Brazilian

TEAMS coached

1983 – Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama

1985-1987 – United Arab Emirates

1991-1993 – Brazil, Under-20

1995 – Bahia

1995 – Bragantino

1996 – América Rio Preto

1997 – Guarani

1998 – Fluminense

1998 – América (SP)

1998 – América de Natal

1999 – Sport Recife

1999-2002 – Coritiba

2003-2004 – Remo

2004 – Kazma Sporting Club

2004-2005 – Flamengo

2006 – Tanzania

2007 – Yokohama

2007 – AmaZulu

2008-2009 – Moroka Swallows - The Star

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/leal-s-brief-beautiful-soccer-1.1087360

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