Davids was assistant boss at Bucs before working alongside Mandla Ncikazi as co-coach and only left the club in June 2022, meaning he still has a good knowledge of the current squad.

Following his time with Pirates, Davids spent a brief spell with Lokomotiv Moscow, with former Bucs head coach Josef Zinnbauer, before returning to South Africa to take the reins at the Team of Choice.

His team head into Friday's encounter in 15th place on the league standings and coming off the back of a 2-0 loss to Kaizer Chiefs in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup.

When asked if he was in a position to dissect the inner workings of the current Pirates team under Jose Riveiro, Davids said on FARPost: "No, there's a new coach, a new dynamic, new system they are playing.

"I know the players well, I know the club but we have to analyse the match now, how we approach it."

The coach added: "Everybody has to be ready, our entire squad.

"We have 22 players, three goalkeepers, plus the seven DDC boys, they're also training with us, fully first-team members.

"For the rest of the season, we gonna need everyone. That's how we manage our squad, giving them minutes, and getting them ready.

"Because at any moment they can be called upon to fight."

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