Chippa can showcase their fine play widely
EC BEES coach Chippa Njedu says no matter the result in their Nedbank Cup clash against Mamelodi Sundowns – the entire country will be treated to the best football they’ve seen by far from a SA Football Association development side.
Bees travel to Loftus on Tuesday, March 13, to take on the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns.
Njedu said as they were busy preparing for their third-tier league games they still remained focused on the R7-million tournament.
He said they were juggling both campaigns so that even when their ambition to lift the lucrative cup – they would not lose their focus of winning the league again this season, as they did last season.
“Like this week we are playing in Mount Ayliff against City Lads, and as much as we playing in the league we are preparing for the game against Sundowns because it’s getting near – we are playing on the 13th.
“You can’t start when it’s only a few days left until you play the former African champions, even though you also want to do well in the league.
“But so far everything is going ahead as planned and nothing is standing in the way of the team’s preps.
“The boys are training very hard and they are looking mentally prepared for their biggest match with the club,” said Njedu.
He said the team had no intense injuries but just ordinary knocks of football and his charges excitement was growing with each day.
“There are no injuries at the moment, unless we’ll get them during these games we are playing in the league, but so far we still on top form.
“And the boys can’t wait to play this game because they wanted a game like this even before we progressed in the tournament’s last 16 teams stage.
“So if we can put aside the mentality that we are playing Sundowns, we can be okay because the boys have been showing up in league games.”
Njedu said playing a 1-1 draw against Spear who were on 27 points at seventh spot on the logstandings, while Bees were sitting on 39 points at the third spot on the table was not troubling them even though they were building for what could be their big break.
“Let alone we played that draw because before that we beat Highbury 6-0, it’s just that that pitch (Mqeshwa Sportfield) was not up to standard.
“So we struggled a bit but I don’t want to go into that but that’s what it is. “Because we always play on the ground – a passing game but the boys didn’t let that get in their heads. “They are still showing that they are ready for the Nedbank [Cup].”
The “Crazy Gang” mentor said George Gawe would lead the team in their campaign against the Brazilians as he been doing a great job in the league.
“Nothing’s going to change George [Gawe] will stay captain and he’ll supported by the his deputy ‘Shaka’ [Simphiwe Dlamini]. They’ve both guided the team pretty well in our campaigns.
“With this game being on television – we are hoping that our boys will get the exposure and hopefully get offered contracts by big clubs because they are talented.
“That’s the one thing that would bring joy to my heart – even better than winning the game against Sundowns.”
It’s what the fans want.