Shakes: Fitness may be our trump card
Witbank Spurs coach Shakes Mashaba knows his National First Division team are up against it when they host Golden Arrows in a Nedbank Cup last16 match at Puma Rugby Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
Mashaba said Abafana Bes’thende’s fast and unpredictable approach makes it difficult to plan for them as they vary their play. Although he understands that his team may not match Arrows in terms of tactics, he figures they can run them off the field when it comes to their fitness levels and they will look to use that to their advantage
“It is not easy to strategise for a team like Arrows,” said the former Bafana Bafana coach. “The reason for that being the type of football they play. When you think you have closed them down this side, they open the other side.
“We will have to keep taking the game to them. We will keep the ball on the ground and also throw long balls at them to see how they respond to that,” he added.
Mashaba has great respect for Arrows coach Steve Komphela and said he is so influential that traces of his methods can still be seen even after he has left a club.
“Steve is one of the best coaches we have right now. If you look at all the teams he has been at, his trademark strategy is evident. He is a passionate coach and passes that on to his players,” he said.
While a good run in Ke Yona will be a morale-booster, Shakes knows what is more important is ensuring he delivers on his initial mandate which was to save the NFD side from relegation as they were at the bottom when he was hired in December.
After two wins and one defeat in the league, Siyavutha – as Spurs are known – have moved one place up but are still far from safety.
“For now the focus is staying away from relegation. That’s the most important thing. But our wish is for the team to qualify for the play-offs and win promotion to the top flight next season,” said Shakes.
Ke Yona could also help the club showcase some of their players and hopefully make a small fortune from their sales at the end of the season.
Mashaba said he knows his players have ambitions of turning out for Absa Premiership teams and said he sometimes tosses and turns at night thinking of ways he could help them achieve their dreams.