Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer has identified Deon Hotto and Gabadinho Mhango as two players capable of winning the PSL Footballer of the Season award.
Hotto, 29, joined Pirates during the current off-season after initially being identified as a target before his move to Bidvest Wits and as he enters the prime of his career, the Soweto giants could benefit from his development at his previous clubs.
The Namibia international previously admitted that he snubbed Pirates due to Wits guaranteeing him first-team football under Gavin Hunt but after their status sale to TTM, he has joined The Buccaneers after contributing 15 goals and 21 assists in 74 games for The Students.
And Zinnbauer admits he rates the winger highly but feels individual accolades are not the focus of the team heading into the 2020/21 season.
"Hotto is a good player, it's normal that we sign good players and he has all possibilities in the PSL [to win the player of the season]," he said ahead of their MTN8 clash against Cape Town City.
"Without trophies, he can win a trophy by himself but in the focus of a coach is not one player, the focus for a coach is the whole squad and the results in the game."
Scroll through the gallery to see Pirates' new signings ahead of their season opener this weekend
The 50-year-old German went on to cite the exploits of Mhango, who scored 17 goals in just 22 starts across all competitions last season and shared the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award with Hotto's countryman Peter Shaluilie.
"You can't win a trophy alone as a player, it's like Gaba [Mhango], he won a trophy last season, that was good for us but we can't do anything now," the former Hamburg coach explained.
"It's in the past, we are looking towards the future and this winning feeling from Mhango and maybe Hotto this season and other players maybe – they can't do things alone [to win titles].
"We need a team, that's the focus, a team and not one player. It's good for us to have [quality] players but we cannot win like that. Gaba scored 17 goals but we finished in third place. If he scored 15 and wins no trophy and [Pirates] win a title that is better for me. But when both are possible, that is the best."
The Buccaneers will be aiming to start their season off positively against an attack-minded Citizens side at Orlando Stadium in their MTN8 quarter-final tomorrow at 18h00.