New Marumo Gallants coach Ronnie Kanalelo wasted little time in his debut outing against champions Orlando Pirates on Sunday to send a clear message of expectation to his players.
Kanelelo, appointed last week to replace the sacked Phuti Mohafe, took off winger Katlego Otladisa after only 22 minutes of Sunday’s 2-0 home loss to Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership because he felt the 29-year-old was not pulling his weight.
“It was all about not giving effort. I think that the willingness was not there to help the team,” said Kanalelo.
“And we had to take action, you know, before it was too late, because it was evident that Pirates targeted our right side.
“When they overload, obviously, our fullback (Khumbulani) Ncube needs his direct partner, who is in front of him to help in those situations, and that willingness was not there. And if it's not there, or they don't know how to do it, or if you don't want to do it, then, obviously, there's only one way: we bring in someone who's willing to do their work.”
Kanelelo used the substitution to change his tactics too, bringing Onke Moletshe onto the left wing and switching Msindisi Kunene from the left to the right flank.
“It was a little bit better, you know, to threaten a little bit from the right side, to basically just neutralise their strong side.”
Gallants, however, lost 2-0 at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace and remain bottom of the standings.
Kanalelo, former Mamelodi Sundowns and Namibia goalkeeper, says he wants his team to play a high intensity game
“That’s where the sport is today, you can't play the game at your own pace. When you play a team like Pirates, they suffocate you and you have to return the same favour.
“You put your hand around my neck trying to suffocate me. I try to do the same. So now it depends which one is tighter and that's the approach that I want.
“We have to worl more without the ball, and even more when we have the ball. I want to see more vertical play from us once we win the ball, and there were moments that we could have actually capitalised after winning the ball to go forward,” he added.