A bright new future
United, the 51-year-old Barker knows his way around the NFD. He had inspired the University of Pretoria to PSL promotion. Barker knew what he needed to achieve his goals. Most importantly, as both he and Benadie insist, the club didn’t just want good players, they wanted good characters.
“I think we recruited really well at the beginning of the season,” said Barker. “I’ve been in this NFD for quite a few years and what I wanted to do was to make sure that we got the type of player that suits this league. The facilities were excellent, and our planning, preparation, team spirit and work ethic were of a high standard. At the SAS, we rub shoulders with the Sevens Rugby team and other international athletes who use the facilities, and that raised the level of professionalism of our approach. We took it day by day, focused on the next training session, the next game; then we focused on recovery, and focused on the next meal to be eaten. All of this was to make sure the players had the right professional attitude.
“It helped that we had the top goalscorer in the league – Iqraam Rayners. Any team that wants to be successful has to have a player who can score goals. We had that. We also decided that we wanted to be an attacking team, and we wanted to put opponents on the back foot. We played a style of football that was aggressive, but also, at the same time, remaining difficult to break down when we didn’t have the ball. I think we got the balance right.”
But Barker is adamant they have a good base to work from.
“There’s not much to change. A lot of the players we recruited for the NFD were young players – full of running, full of pace and energy – which is always required in football. And these young players will continue their development in the PSL. There are just a few areas where we may have to bring in some experience and the right kind of quality which can take the team forward. But I want to stress that there won’t be wholesale changes – we are happy with the squad we have.
“The biggest adjustment will be the technical and tactical superiority of the PSL. Because, at that higher level, when you make mistakes you get punished. That is probably the biggest difference between the NFD and the PSL – you cannot make too many errors. Also, scoring opportunities are limited, so you have to make the most of it when chances come your way. Both from an attacking and a defensive point of view, we are going to have to take the team to a different level.”
Stellenbosch FC’S elevation to the PSL offers the region an opportunity to shake off the shackles of the past. It’s a shot at redemption, but only if the community as a whole is able to embrace the rise of football in the area.