Not now, not tomorrow, not ever…
REVOLVING COLUMN
On the relegation fight
Even though we won our last game against AmaZulu, we are still not safe; the fight still continues. We are still very far from safety because there are six more points to play for and we are gunning for all those six points. We just need to give our all in both games and then the results will come. The good thing about it though is that we collected three points and we are going into the last two games with at least a few points lead from our fellow relegation strugglers.
On the win against AmaZulu
The win against AmaZulu did a lot of things for us as a team. That win didn’t only give us three points, but lifted our spirits as well. Remember that before playing that game, were on 25 points and the win took us to 28 points. We haven’t done anything yet. We have to beat Maritzburg United and Bidvest Wits for us to catch a breather. Right now, we are very far from achieving our goal. We cannot let this team go down, not now, not tomorrow, not ever. We really needed a win in that game so that we could revive the hope. We now have the belief that even the next two games we can win. The belief is what will carry us forward. We really did ourselves a massive favour by winning against AmaZulu, I mean, now we have points that will help us. What I have noticed is that when the teams at the bottom play, they either all drop points or all win, but fortunately for us, we were on the winning side last weekend.
On the slump after the Telkom Knockout triumph
Trust me, it’s not easy, because everyone now looked at us differently after winning the Telkom Knockout. We don’t even have time to enjoy the game. Every time, we think about our status and the supporters. Each and every game for us is like a cup final. You do not want to make any mistakes because you think of nothing but maximum points. You push for points and even forget to enjoy yourselves. That is not the situation you want to find yourself in. But all these things happen in football and, at the end of the day, as a football team and as a football player sometimes you have to go through all of that. A lot of people are saying it was complacency, but I disagree with that. I think a cup is a different story. Most teams don’t approach cup games and league games the same way.
On what has kept Baroka going
The belief that we have in one another as a team makes it a bit easy for us to remain focused. We always push one another so that we don’t give up. The coaches as well, they keep encouraging us to keep our heads high and keep going. I think it helps us so that we can be able to work as a team.
On the plan to escape relegation
Well, we can have all the good, better or excellent plans in place, but a plan is deemed a successful plan in football once it brings the desired results. Right now, as Baroka FC, our main plan is to win the next two games that we must still play. That is how we will avoid getting relegated or going through the stress of the play-offs. But we need to do it for ourselves and not depend on other people. We don’t need any favours from anyone to do this. We need to win our own battle. It’s about us and not anyone else.
On the difference in points between the teams below them
We don’t even look at that because we have our eye on Bidvest Wits on Saturday. We know that they are fighting for the tittle. They still have an outside chance to claim the title and they drew their last game. They will want to win this one at all costs, plus they are playing at home. But all we have to do is stick to our plans and concentrate. If we stick to that, we will get the maximum points. The same thing will work for us when we play Maritzburg. Both games are going to be open games. Wits will come at us because they know that they are still within a chance to win the league, so for that reason, they will not sit back, hence the game will be an open one. Maritzburg also needs the points and that will also make our game against them an interesting one. Another thing is that depending on the weekend games, we might go to that game with Maritzburg needing a draw or a win to survive, hence we have to win against Wits on Saturday. That is why I am saying we need to do it ourselves and not depend on other results.
On what they have been promised if they avoid relegation
I read that we have been promised bonuses and all that, but I can tell you now, as the captain of Baroka, that we haven’t been promised anything by the team. All that was done was to encourage us to win our remaining games so that the team can be safe from relegation. It is our third season in the Absa Premiership now and none of us want to go down to the NFD. We need to really fight hard to save the team. You can ask any player in the team, they will repeat what I just said – we don’t want to go back to the NFD. We have to put all our energies into saving the team. If you look at the teams that played in the NFD having been relegated from the PSL, they always find it very difficult to come back. So we don’t want to go that route, not at all. We need to stay in the PSL and, for us to stay in the PSL, we need to work hard, focus and give it our all. Mduduzi Mdantsane, Baroka FC captain