Team aims to end season on a high with Sasol victory

THUNDERBIRDS aim to close the season on a high when they host City Lads in the much-anticipated Sasol League final at the WSU Sport Grounds in Butterworth this afternoon.

Thunderbirds are sitting at the summit of the log with 36 points after having won 12 games and drawn one from 13 matches.

Their opponents, City Lads, are in second position with the same number of points after they lost 4-2 to Thunderbirds at home.

Thunderbirds coach Thembalethu Apleni said he was under a lot of pressure as they have managed to remain unbeaten throughout the season.

“Preparations are going according to plan although we are feeling the pressure that comes with being No 1 for the entire season. It’s exam time now and that makes things more difficult because the players are busy studying and that’s why their parents are not releasing them to us.”

He said the team only met once a day to gym because they (team management) were also working full time as the league doesn’t have monetary incentives for clubs.

“We’re not full time even though we’d love to be. We have to go to work to put food on the table and also the players have to study and then come to gym in their spare time.

“With the time I have been getting with them I have been trying to focus on the team as a unit, so that whatever we do – we do it as a team.”