Former Orlando Pirates striker Patrick Malokase says Kermit Erasmus might not be suited for the type of football coach Jose Riveiro wants the club to play.
The 33-year-old is struggling for game-time at the Soweto giants this season, and so far has made only 11 appearances in all competitions.
Erasmus last played for the Buccaneers on November 25, 2023, when he was brought on in the last 11 minutes of the encounter against Richards Bay FC.
READ: Sad end for Erasmus at Pirates?
His contract with Pirates expires in June, and speculation is that he will likely be offloaded prior to the beginning of next season, as reported by this publication on Friday.
"Kermit is one of the strikers I rate highly, and I honestly believe he's got a lot to offer to South African football," Malokase tells KickOff.
"He is one of the best technically, tactically gifted players. He is top-class. Probably, the system and the style at Pirates do not suit him. It seems the coach at Pirates prefers big guys up front who are so not as mobile as Kermit. So, probably, tactically the coach prefers something else.
"To be honest, I don't see Kermit playing as a static striker. He is mobile and he's been playing like that for years. In all the clubs he has played for, he's been deadly playing as a number 10. He's a Karim Benzema type of striker who doesn't sit in one position but is very effective in his role," adds Malokase.
The 42-year-old says he has faith in the pint-sized attacker launching a big comeback wherever his career takes him next.
"Kermit Erasmus is a professional, so whatever he believes in, I will support him. If he wants to adapt to the system of the coach, or if he doesn't want to change, still I will support him because I believe in the end, the game belongs to the players.
"Irrespective of whether it was the coach or the club who signed him, he is quality. Whoever brought him to Pirates believed that he would do the job. Remember, he has done it before for Pirates in his first spell with the club. I think it's just a matter of him getting his confidence back," he says.
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Going forward, Malokase believes Pirates need to be honest in whether they are keen to keep Erasmus or not, and then make the decision for the benefit of all parties concerned.
Between him, the coach and the club, they need to have some sort of an agreement and understanding, and try to take a different direction that will suit everyone. If he is not fitting into the coach's plans, I think he can fit perfectly at any club that might be interested in him.
"He has played in different clubs that played different systems and he managed to adjust very well. His technique when it comes to finishing is out of this world."
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