No drop for us, says Baroka coach
Newly crowned Telkom TKO champions Baroka FC remain stranded in the Premiership relegation zone, but coach Wedson Nyirenda is adamant they will escape the quicksand in the next few months.
Baroka managed to collect a point in their goalless draw with Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday to move from second bottom to 11th spot on the log.
Nyirenda and his team have their work cut out as only two points separate Baroka and bottom of the log Black Leopards, with two rounds of matches left before the halfway mark.
“We are not going to be relegated‚” the coach said. “If you look at our game against Sundowns‚ you will realise that our players have matured.
“With a team boasting an average age of 24‚ we won the final and two days later managed to put up a fight against a formidable team like Sundowns. This tells me that we are getting somewhere. It was not an easy game because Sundowns played a good game.
“They were organised and dictated most of the match. But we tried to catch them on the counter attack and we could have got two in the first half but we missed. But a point away from home is vital for us looking at where we are.”
Part of Baroka’s mission is to end the season clear of the relegation zone and it continues on Sunday when they host Bidvest Wits‚ the same side they dumped out of the Telkom Knockout at the semifinal stage.
“We have played big teams recently and we did well‚” Nyirenda said. “We are not so much worried because playing big teams is easier as you know what they do.”
After the Wits match‚ Baroka will end the year with a trip to Maritzburg United at the Harry Gwala Stadium.
But Nyirenda said he would need to manage his players very well. “We just have to manage the players well until Sunday and beyond.
“Wits are coming for revenge but it is not for me to say what we expect from them because I will be giving away some of our plans for the match.”