Arrows require clean sheets

HAVING dropped into the bottom four of the PSL standings as a result of four losses in their past seven assignments, Golden Arrows have to do the so-called hard yards in their four remaining matches to keep the wolves from the door.

The Durban south club have enjoyed just one victory over the past seven weeks of league football and this bad sequence has allowed AmaZulu to move a point above them on the log table.

Moreover, coach Manqoba Mngqithi’s side face an arguably tougher run-in, starting with a clash against three-time champs SuperSport in Durban on Sunday.

This will be followed by a trip to Swallows next Wednesday and then a visit by Platinum Stars on May 11, before a final meeting with Ajax in the Cape on May 18.

With the first three opponents sitting above them and only Ajax below them in the standings, coach Mngqithi needs technical, tactical and motivational powers in camp to end the season clear of danger and give hope to the club’s modest fan base for next term.

A bad omen for “Abafana Bes’thende” is they have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven league outings, and even that was when their opponents had been reduced to 10 men, whereas AmaZulu register clean sheets regularly with Tapuwa Kapini between the sticks.

“Yes, at the moment we have to defend better to secure our place in the league and then allow the coach to plan ahead for next season,” said Arrows spokesman Vusi Vilakazi yesterday.

“We do have the ability to score, considering we got two goals in two of our last four matches, but then we tend to just concede. I am sure we will look for some new defenders for next season.”

On the plus side, there are no new injuries or suspensions in camp ahead of the clash with SuperSport at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Sunday.

Superstitious

HERE’S something on the superstitious side: A visit to Durban can bring either extreme delight or disaster, and nothing in between, for English Premiership managers these days.

Man United boss Alex Ferguson has lifted the championship after each of his three pre-season visits here, whereas Mark Hughes, Martin Jol and Glenn Hoddle all got the sack months after sniffing our gentle sea breeze.

Ferguson brought his revamped Red Devils to play Usuthu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Mandela Day last July and he made it clear back then his main aim was to unseat Man City as champions sooner rather than later.

True to the old man’s word, Robin van Persie wrapped up United’s 20th title with a great hat-trick against Aston Villa on Monday night, with the second goal coming straight from football heaven.

Ferguson also toured here with the Red Devils in 2006 and 2008 in the build-up to other championship successes.

By contrast, Hughes, Jol and Hoddle all got the boot during the season after coming to Duran with Man City and Spurs respectively on pre-campaign tours.

Hughes was here in 2009 and controversially limited the game time of his new stars, while Hoddle came in 2003 and Jol in 2007.

Under the circumstances, Roberto Mancini might be wary of Man City’s unconfirmed plans to add Durban to their current pre-season plans which already include playing Chelsea in the States and tackling Spurs and Sunderland in the Asia Trophy in Hong Kong.

Trials

SHAKES Mashaba, Owen da Gama, Khabo Zondo and Mike Mangena are part of the coaching staff who will conduct trials at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont on Saturday for non-professionals who wish to be picked for the Nedbank Ke Yona team to face the eventual Nedbank Cup champions.

The talent search is part of the bank’s outreach programme linked to the national knockout competition and is featured in a reality series to be aired on SABC 1 on Saturdays from May 4 until July 20.

This is in addition to the competition’s Goals4Goals campaign which benefits schools and communities around the country.

An average of five players will come from each province to form a squad of 45 who will attend a boot camp, from which the final 18 will be picked.

Prospective footballers wishing to participate can register by dialling *120*539662# and follow the steps to complete registration.

Only 550 players per province will be selected through a random draw to participate in the regional trials. The nationwide search commenced on April 20 in Port Elizabeth and ends in Kimberly on June 8.

Participants are reminded to visit the website www.keyonateam.co.za to familiarise themselves with the entry criteria before registering.