Sibisi says Bucs will miss assistant coach
Almenara's departure shocks Bafana centre-back
Image: Lefty Shivambu
Orlando Pirates centre-back Nkosinathi Sibisi feels the club will miss departed assistant coach Sergio Almenara “dearly”, saying the Spaniard played a crucial role in the Buccaneers' recent success.
Almenara, who had joined the club alongside incumbent head coach Jose Riveiro in July 2022, left the club by mutual consent early this month after helping them retain the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup, while they also finished second for the second season running.
“He [Almenara] played a huge, huge role in the club's recent success and for me his departure came as a surprise. I saw it [the confirmation that he was leaving] on social media because I was already in the Bafana camp.
“He's a good, good coach and I think as the players and the club we will miss him dearly,'' Sibisi told Sowetan before the recent Bafana World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Almenara made it clear leaving the Sea Robbers wasn't an easy decision for him, implying wanting to be with his family in Finland, where he and Riveiro worked before coming to SA, motivated him to cut his stay short at Pirates.
“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.
“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,'' Almenara said in a statement Pirates released.
Meanwhile, Sibisi also weighed in on the meteoric rise of his young teammate Relebohile Mofokeng, who also made his Bafana debut when they beat Zimbabwe 3-1 in Free State, saying the 19-year-old was capable of handling fame and the attention he's been getting amid his rising star.
“Rele [Mofokeng] is a humble guy. He has a good head on his shoulders. He hasn't struggled to cope with all the attention he's been attracting lately. He comes from a good family and that always keeps him grounded, so for us as senior players there's nothing much to do [as far as mentoring him is concerned],'' Sibisi said of Mofokeng.