SuperSport get the balance right

SUPERSPORT United coach Cavin Johnson says Matsatsantsa are relishing the juggling of league and cup demands as they compete for domestic honours as well as search for success in African club competition.

The club are now in a regular rhythm of matches, with league games in midweek and then cup commitments at the weekend.

They play Bidvest Wits tonight away at Milpark Stadium having overcome neighbours University of Pretoria in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday night.

This Saturday they play AFC Leopards of Kenya in the second round of the African Confederation Cup at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville at 8.15pm.

“It’s now that everyone is really earning their money. Both players and staff are all working overtime but we like it,” Johnson said yesterday.

“This is what we are employed to do. People like the physiotherapist, who has so much more work now to prepare the players and keep them injury free, are really earning their money and we are having to have our thinking caps on all the time too.”

Johnson, who took Platinum Stars to the runnersup berth in the Premier Soccer League last season, had also been full of praise for his back-room staff.

He said competing for three different trophies at the same time meant he needed the resources he could gather around him.

“My staff are a big factor for me. It’s not about my work or me but about the collective effort. I’d fail if I did not have a team,” he said of his coaching assistants and medical staff.

“Especially with playing in Africa because we don’t really have many coaches here with a lot of experience. We are young and happy to be learning.”

Today ’ s match will start at 7.30pm.