The former Wits tactician was confirmed as Augusto Palacios' successor on Monday as the latter was forced to step down from the role due to a severe back problem.

De Sa's appointment with the Soweto giants comes as a bit of a shock, with the 47-year-old boasting only a Nedbank Cup title under his managerial belt, but the Mozambique-born coach is determined to make his mark with the Buccaneers.

"There are better people, coaches better than me but there was no way that I was going to turn this offer down," he told the PSL's official website.

"It's really a great honour to be here and it was a little bit unexpected. An opportunity like this does not come around too often, and being an ex-goalkeeper myself, I decided to grab it with both hands.

"Pirates is a winning club with a winning mentality, so I know that the expectations are very high."

One of the biggest tests De Sa will be tasked with is leading the side in the CAF Champions League, which starts in January, but the former Santos coach feels he is up to the challenge, having already had a taste of a major African tournament at the Confederations Cup with the Students in 2011.

He said: "I'm not that experienced in CAF football but I have been around. I have done it with Wits; have assisted internationally at U/20 and U/23 level. I'm looking forward to the challenge."