A number of Pirates’ youth development products have flourished this season under coach Milutin Sredojevic, which include fullbacks Innocent Maela and Mthokozisi Dube, which led to Palacios’ claims that development at Pirates is currently being made easier.

‘For development‚ when a coach comes [to a club] and he has the pressure to win trophies, he will not have an interest to look at the young players‚’ he told Sowetan Live.

‘But if the team are doing well and winning‚ it’s going to be easier to adapt players from the development to the first team. And I understand that it’s like this all over the world.

‘You need to promote at the right time‚ when the team is doing well‚ and where there is space for that player to play in.

‘For example‚ Pirates have Diamond Thopola and Dube competing at right-back and doing well. So now where are you going to field [a promoted player]?

‘Promotion is not promotion because you want it.

‘At the moment you have Lyle Foster‚ the two Zambian players [Justin Shonga and Augustine Mulenga] and Thamsanqa Gabuza – you have four strikers.

‘When I was coach [in 2012] I had five – we had Benni McCarthy‚ Tokelo Rantie‚ Bongani Ndulula‚ Ndumiso Mabena and Thulasizwe Mbuyane. So it was very difficult to promote.

‘For me‚ you promote players at the right time and moment‚ and for what the squad requires,’ he concluded.

Photo: Backpagepix

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