All Stars coach needs to know what happened in pre-season in search for answers

CAPE TOWN ALL STARS coach Patrick Mabedi believes a lack of fitness could be to blame for the team’s leaky defence.

All Stars are currently bottom of the NFD log after three defeats and a draw, despite scoring more goals than 10 of the 15 teams above them.

The Parow club have conceded 12 goals in total, including three in the second half of their 3-3 draw against Santos; a match in which they lead 3-1.“It’s a lack of concentration. I also need to look at the pre-season because that is important. If the condition of the players is not superb then in the last moments of the game they go to sleep. You lose focus when you get tired, so I need to look into what happened in the pre-season. There are a lot of factors that can affect the players. We conceded twice in injury time (against Santos) and that isn’t acceptable. We already had the points in the bag and then we conceded two goals. It’s not acceptable. It could be a lack of concentration, but there are so many things that I have to look at. I’m busy looking into them and it’s my responsibility to make it happen,” Mabedi said. The 42-year-old took up the reins at All Stars last Wednesday, a week after the club parted ways with Mlungisi “Professor” Ngubane, and had just two days to prepare for Friday’s match against Santos. In spite of those obstacles and the mounting pressure to pick up their first points, All Stars managed to put in an enterprising and entertaining attacking display. The defence also stood firm until the final passages of the match.

“The game is the best teacher and it will tell you what you need to know,” he said.