Orlando Pirates midfielder Onyekachi Okonkwo will start the new year on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury just before the last game of 2012 against Golden Arrows.
The player joins a list of injuries at Pirates which includes Benni McCarthy, Rooi Mahamutsa and Moeneeb Josephs.
The Nigerian is expected to be out for close to six weeks. Coach Roger de Sa tells the Siya crew that they wish all the players a fast recovery at this point because the season is getting tougher now.
"We need all the players at this point. You know we will be playing in the Champions League, the league and the Nedbank Cup, which needs a strong squad to balance nicely," he said.
"I hope the other players will come back a bit earlier. We are having what we call another pre-season which we need all the players to participate in," De Sa concluded.
