Former Orlando Pirates head coach Ruud Krol has explained what let him to leave the club after guiding them to a historic treble in 2011.
The Dutch football legend won the MTN8, Nedbank Cup and Betway Premiership in his last season with the Buccaneers. He became the first coach in the PSL to win a treble and ultimately became one of the most celebrated coaches in Pirates history despite only spending three seasons with the club.
Speaking To Robert Marawa on 947, Krol revealed what led him to decide to leave Orlando Pirates in May after winning three trophies in one season. The former Netherlands captain said the club’s chairman had already made plans to replace him with Brazilian coach Julio Cesar Leal.
“No, no, no, it was a conversation…When we lost to Kaizer Chiefs in December, they signed Leal, the Brazilian. I know that but they didn’t know I knew,” Krol said.
“That gave them (Pirates management) problems because I was winning and winning and they were talking and said the president wants to talk, the president wants to talk next week and then nobody came. I said if nobody is coming, there are other clubs than Pirates in the world.”
Krol said he wanted to extend his Orlando Pirates stay
Krol left Pirates in 2011 to join CS Sfaxien where he won the CAF Confederations Cup.
“I wanted to stay there because I had other plans in mind after we won all the trophies in South Africa, except one. I thought we would go and win trophies in Africa and that was my goal to win the Champions League. I had a chance to win that with the Tunisian team [CS Sfaxien].
The Dutch legend said his only regret was not getting a chance to win the CAF Champions League with the Buccaneers.
“We had the team,” Krol replied when asked if Orlando Pirates would have won a Champions League under him.
“We had a good defence, good midfield and attack and with those combination added with combact defending, of course we could build perfect squad,” he said on 947.