Orlando Pirates’ failure makes shock coach claim

Former Orlando Pirates striker Bienvenu Eva Nga has been left embittered by his experience at the club.

Eva Nga lays the blame for his failed stint at Orlando Pirates with coach Jose Riveiro.

Orlando Pirates coach blamed for flop

Eva Nga told Soccer Laduma: “Yes, it was my decision [to leave Pirates]. I had a conversation first with the coach [Jose Riveiro].

He continued: I remember I would get frustrated when I was not playing.

“I went to the coach and I asked him to tell me why I was not playing. He started telling me stories. He was not giving me an answer and I wanted him to give me the real reason [why] I was not playing.”

“They [bosses at Pirates] told my agent that the coach did not want me anymore because they wanted to bring another striker.

“I was shocked. I was feeling pain in my heart, but I did not want to show my agent. I said, ‘No problem, it’s football. I will accept.’ When I got to the dressing room at Rand Stadium (to say farewell), the coach came to me and said, ‘Eva, I hear you want to leave us,'” he explained.

“Then I was like, ‘Coach, they said you are the one who said I should leave because you don’t want me.’ I told him, ‘They said you said I must leave because you want to bring another striker.’

“The coach was in shock. He did not know anything about that and, on that day, I started believing him because I was angry with him,” he continued.

“Sometimes I would arrive and I would not greet him.

“I would not look at his face. I was angry. I was training nicely, but I was not playing. I was frustrated.

“Even my teammates saw how I was frustrated, but they would speak to me.

“I did not want to fight with anyone, so I made the decision to leave.”

Rebuilding a career

Chippa United co-coach Thabo September claims the club are busy rebuilding the confidence of the striker.

“He is enjoying football again, he is happy to be here,” September told iDiski Times.

“We hope for that [goals], he created a goal now to Martin. He scored for us in the Nedbank Cup, so what we are seeing and getting from him is positive.

“We just need to build him in terms of confidence because he is coming from a tough spell at Orlando Pirates.”

The striker was released by Orlando Pirates, in January returning to the Eastern Cape side.

Eva Nga scored on debut for Orlando Pirates but had a difficult relationship with fans and coaches.

After thriving at Chippa in a previous spell he is now out to rebuild at the club.