Kings dream of the crown
It’s a cup of dreams, why not dream big? This was Real Kings’ response to their Nedbank Cup quarterfinals draw that set them up for a home match against Bidvest Wits.
Kings and TS Sporting are the only two remaining teams from the GladAfrica Championship and club spokesperson S’thembiso Hlongwane says they have nothing to lose and are now looking at emulating TS Galaxy who became the first Championship side to win the Nedbank Cup.
“It’s not a surprise that we are at this stage of the competition because we have been training very hard. Being in the last eight means a lot to the team.
“It means another opportunity to rub shoulders with big teams. We are a big team in KZN but now we want to spread and be known nationally,” Hlongwane said.
He said now that the first part of their Nedbank Cup objectives had been achieved, they were dreaming big, hoping to make their own history.
“This is a cup of dreams and every dream is possible. When we started the season, we had our own ambitions and one of them was making the last eight. Now that we have done that, we can maybe make a run for it from here because anything is possible now,” he said.
Hlongwane also shed light on why the team parted ways with coach Joel Masutha who has since been replaced by Mike Lukhubeni, above.
“Masutha is an astute coach and his tactical acumen is very good. When we started the season he set objectives and I think halfway through he felt things were not going the way he had anticipated. We were doing well but the results were not forthcoming. That was not because he was a failure. He then felt he needed to give someone else a chance and seeing the situation he asked that he be released.
“Even though it was short notice we had to accept it and luckily Mike was available. I always use this analogy to explain this better, ‘we had to change the pilot while the plane was midair because there was no time to land and take off again’,” Hlongwane said.
This is a cup of dreams and every dream is possible.
S’thembiso Hlongwane