Stellies, United tipped to hang on to promising young coaches
Vellios gunning to be first coach to win Varsity Cup, Diski Challenge
Stellenbosch and SuperSport United are set to keep their promising young DStv Diski Challenge coaches for another season after they had an impressive season in the development league.
Stellies’ Evangelos Vellios and United’s Thabo September have led their respective sides to be title contenders heading into the last day of the season. The Diski Challenge title race is going down to the wire, with Stellenbosch top of the log with 61 points while Matsatsantsa-a-Pitori are in second place with 59 points.
On match day 30 tomorrow, both these sides will have same time kickoff at 12pm. SuperSport will play Royal AM at the Mpumalanga Stadium while TS Galaxy will host Stellenbosch at the Tsakane Stadium in Brakpan.
Vellios is on the verge of making personal history. He’s gunning to be the first coach to win the Varsity Cup and Diski title. Sowetan asked the young coach about his plans after the conclusion of the season.
“As coaches we all have ambition and desires. At the moment I’m fully focused on serving Stellenbosch. I work with coach Steve [Barker] and the first team, so I bounce up and down. I’m trying to help build this club,” said Vellios.
“I’m a child of God, I follow his calling. Right now I feel peace in my heart. My job is not finished at Stellenbosch but don’t know tomorrow, opportunities may come. If that were to happen, I would sit down with the club. On a personal objective, I’ve always wanted to win titles. I’ve won at the varsity level, it’ll be nice to win at DDC level.
“That would make me the only coach to have won them both. Having achieved those goals, I’ll turn my eye to the PSL, be it helping Steve or leading a team to that,” he said.
Meanwhile, former SuperSport captain September has taken the reserve side on an impressive unbeaten run.
His work was rewarded as he got a promotion to the first team, as assistant coach.
September said he’s been having talks with club management about his future.
“The plan is to continue with the Diski team. The position of assistant coach is just interim.”
Fixtures
Tomorrow: Maritzburg v Sundowns, Mpumalanga Stadium, 9.30am; Pirates v Swallows, Tsakane, 9.30am; Chiefs v Baroka, FNB, 10am; Chippa v Arrows, Wolfson, 10am; Cape Town v AmaZulu, Malta Park, 10am; Marumo v Sekhukhune, Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, 10am.