New Baroka coach vows to raise bar, eyes top 10 finish

NEWLY appointed Baroka FC coach Jacob Sakala has made an ambitious proclamation that he will guide the Limpopo side to a top 10 finish at the end of the season.

Baroka reached the halfway mark of the Absa Premiership campaign rooted at the bottom of the pile with only two wins from 15 matches to spark fears that they may make an immediate return to the National First Division (NFD) next season.

Club chairman Khurishi Mphahlele acted swiftly and brought Sakala on board as head coach earlier this month to replace inexperienced Kgoloko Thobejane.

“Relegation is not even on my mind. I sleep well at night because I know that we have a team that is capable of finishing the season in the top 10 or even higher‚” Sakala said.

Sakala‚ who saved Mpumalanga Black Aces‚ Black Leopards and Dynamos from relegation in the past‚ said there was nothing seriously wrong with the players in the first round.

“The previous technical team did well with the players they had but I think they started to feel a little pressure when positive results were not coming as they expected.

“The spirit was a little bit down but we have managed to work on the mental side of things.

“They showed last weekend during the Mbombela Spectacular tournament in Mpumalanga‚ where we beat Mbombela United 3-1 and held Bidvest Wits 0-0‚ that they are up for the tough challenge.

“Given what I saw at the Mbombela tournament‚ I am hopeful that we will do well in the second round of the league campaign because the hunger and confidence in the players is back.” — TMG