Tsotetsi is keeping cool
Grinding out a point with 10 players against a team like Kaizer Chiefs has given Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids hope that he can finally get his campaign going.
The Team of Choice have not had a good start, losing two and drawing one of their first three league matches, while also crashing out of the MTN8 in the first round.
“I am happy with the way the guys fought for the point. We were on top when we had the full team in the first 15 minutes. Getting a point after losing a player so early was great,” said Davids after last Friday’s match.
Davids will, meanwhile, have almost a whole month before his next match and said he will use the time to find new combinations and ensure the new players gel. He said he had to use Keletso Makgalwa after he had just trained twice with the team and he could see a lack of fluidity.
But losing Siphesihle Ndlovu, who was red-carded against Chiefs just 15 minutes into the match, will also weigh heavily on Davids. But he is happy that by the time they host Bidvest Wits on September 15 he will have all his injured players back.
“We have four weeks to prepare before our next match. We will have all the players back when we host Wits and that makes it better for us.
“We have to build combinations and communications. We have new players who have to be brought in. We will be a different team in a month’s time,” promised the 37-year-old.
He said he is looking at bringing in another striker to complement Andrea Fillecia who made his comeback after an injury layoff last Friday.
“We have to work on our attacking structure but it should be better now with Fillecia back. We might add another attacker too. We can only move forward from here,” said Davids.
And Maritzburg did sign another striker yesterday, snapping up Yanick Zakri from Mamelodi Sundowns on a permanent twoyear deal.
“We are very happy to welcome Yannick to the club. He is an international with lots of experience and will add to our attacking options up front,” said United chairman Farouk Kadodia on the signing ofr the Ivorian striker, according to the club’s official Twitter feed. Maccabi FC coach Mokete Tsotetsi (above) is not getting carried away by his side’s good start to their maiden National First Division (NFD) campaign and has set realistic goals.
Tsotetsi’s team beat Benson Mhlongo’s TS Sporting 3-1 in their opener, elevating them to top spot.
“It was a good win but there is still a long way to go,” said the former Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos defender.
“We want to ensure we stay in this division – that is the mandate for this season. If we finish in 12th place or above, that would be great. But that does not mean we are not aiming higher. If a chance to go into the top eight or even challenge for promotion presents itself we will go for it,” he said.
Deveraux Springbok, Madoda Motha and Elasto Kapowezha scored for Maccabi while Thobela Sikhakhane, who is on loan from Orlando Pirates, pulled one back.
“This result will be good for our confidence,” said Tsotetsi, but he understands that it could also be detrimental, as his young side might get over-confident.
“That is where the coach comes in. It is my job to ensure we keep cool heads,” he said.
Sporting’s Mhongo, meanwhile, said he had not seen his players in a match situation because they didn’t have any friendly games during pre-season.