Stability the priority for Middendorp at Maritzburg
German coach will begin his third stint by facing Mamelodi Sundowns
New Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp is not expected to perform miracles at the Team of Choice as his mandate is solely to bring stability to the outfit, according to club chairman Farook Kadodia.
Middendorp will begin his third stint at Maritzburg by facing table-toppers Mamelodi Sundowns at Harry Gwala Stadium Saturday (8.15pm).
His maiden spell at Maritzburg was from 2009 to 2011, while his second was from 2012 to 2013.
The German mentor replaced Eric Tinkler, who was fired in the aftermath of an 11-game winless streak, having last won a game in March.
At this moment, the priority is to get the “club stable,” Kadodia said. The mandate for
“the coach is to stabilise everything.
We must be realistic, so we can t ask for big “’ things from him. I really won t put pressure
’ on the coach. His mandate is just to get the team ticking again.”
The Maritzburg head-honcho has vowed his team will give a fight in every game. However, Kadodia knows they must tread carefully against the Brazilians.
Every game is a fight, my brother. But we can t be overconfident because we play the best team in Africa [referring to Downs]. All I can tell you is that we are in a fight every “game we play,” Kadodia said.
He is also praying the match officials who control the game against Downs handle the game fairly, feeling that Maritzburg were on the receiving end of poor officiating in their last two games against Black Leopards and SuperSport United.
In the past two games we were robbed. “
Television replays show how we were robbed for the penalty and for the goal,” Kadodia said.
We just don t want to be at the receiving “’ end of poor officiating. We just hope that we get match officials who will give us a fair game. ”
Maritzburg’s 12 games without a win:
August 16: v Leopards; 2-3
August 21: v Downs; 2-2
August 24: v Wits; 0-0
August 29: v Highlands; 1-1 September 2: v Pirates; 0-1 September 5: v Celtic; 1-3
October 18: v Chiefs MTN8; 1-2 October 24: v Baroka; 1-2
October 28: v Cape Town City; 0-1 November 3: v Chippa; 1-3 November 21: v Leopards; 0-1 November 27: v SuperSport; 1-2