Bucks look to budding stars

Mthatha Bucks chief operating officer Lunga “Doc” Tukute believes the players they’ve signed this season will take them to the ABC Motsepe League national playoffs – and beyond.

Tukute was reacting to Bucks’ 5-0 win against relegationthreatened Bush Bucks Academy at Mthatha Stadium over the weekend when he told the Daily Dispatch that Bucks were well prepared for the ABC Motsepe playoffs scheduled for Cape Town from June 2-8.

Tukute believes that should they qualify for the playoffs and win promotion to the NFD they would fit right in.

“We are more than ready and I believe that we have got a better team than anyone else in this league and I feel we can compete at those playoffs and beyond,” said Tukute.

The experienced Bucks administrator said they had a mix of good players who had carried them through in this second round of the third-tier league after having a bad start at the beginning of the season.

“We have a mix of up-andcoming players that still want to achieve big things in football and we have experienced players who have gone to the playoffs and won with their respective teams,” he said.

“We’ve got players that have NFD experience. On the young players side we’ve got U23 goalkeeper Sibongiseni “Mondli” Mkhize. He’s an up-and-coming talent and has been with SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates development teams.

“We also have Mzwandile Nodada from Cape Town, we also have a striker by the name of Tau Rankonko, who was on the books of TS Galaxy and Mbombela United. These are just a few of the young guys we have.”

Bucks recently brought back one of their prolific left-wingers Mpho Khumalo, who also had a run at NFD and they have reacquired the services of Sibongiseni Madikane – a local player who has won this league with Bucks.

“Madikane, who was with Mbombela United, is also back in the team. We have also signed the Zungu twins from Uthongathi.

“We have guys who are used to the big stage like our captain Samnkelo Ndletyana, he’s been into NFD he’s a very experienced player.

“We also brought back Mlungisi Mazibuko... you’d remember him as one of the players that promoted us in Kimberley. He had a good stay at Real Kings.

“Sifiso Ntjolo, and Kangwa Chileshe are also back, so I think with such a team and hunger to get back to the NFD we might just have it right.”

Tukute said they were also banking on their technical team under Velile Dyaloyi and Mondli Funani to take them all the way. “Coach Velile has been to the playoffs with us in 2013 – won by Baroka in Gauteng. He’s been to the playoffs with Angavu Stars. We think we are balanced in all departments and it’s this experience that helped us push this far.”

We have a mix of players who still want to achieve big things in football