Stellies can cement their place
Barker is a shrewd tactician
PSL rookies Stellenbosch FC are in a good position to cement their place in South Africa’s top-flight football league.
The pre-season target of 33 points to make this a reality has nearly been reached, the men from the Winelands require another six points from a possible 18 from their last six fixtures to reach the mark. Four of those games will be played at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, their “new” home ground.
The club’s long-term goal is to play the majority of home matches at the stadium next season, but coach Steve Barker said the venue they used last season (Idas Valley Sports Ground) while campaigning in the NFD will be used for some fixtures once the Danie Craven Stadium becomes compliant with PSL standards.
Their season so far
Stellies have claimed the scalps of big-name teams like Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United, and have won seven of 24 league matches, placing them 11th on the standings with 27 points, but more importantly, putting seven points between themselves and bottom-placed Black Leopards.
It took them eight games to record a first win – a 2-0 victory at Polokwane City – but then with the monkey off their back Barker’s boys showed themselves to be no pushovers and went on to complete back-to-back victories after seeing off Pirates 1-0 at Cape Town Stadium. Stellies then went winless in five before completing a hat-trick of wins to move away from the relegation zone. But two losses in a row before the season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic means there’s still a little way to go to ensure their safety.
The coach
Barker, a former PSL player, is a class act, his men will tell you that, so too the press. He stayed calm when the pressure was firmly on his shoulders to produce that first win. Not once was his position under threat during Stellies’ barren run. Instead he was backed to the hilt by Stellies’ management and the confidence is paying dividends. The former AmaZulu and AmaTuks coach is a shrewd tactician as shown by his line-up for the recent clash against defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns, which saw his three strikers and top goal scorers Waseem Isaacs, Igraam Rayners and Ryan Moon benched in favour of an unheralded attack force so as to confuse his opposite number Pitso Mosimane.
What they have done right
Stellies have taken the team unity and togetherness that was created last season and carried it over into this campaign. It wasn’t easy initially with a big turnaround of players, but they have been able to maintain a strong culture at the club. There is a belief in the processes they stick to, always attempting to do things to the highest level of professionalism. Being based at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport offers an environment where the players can rub shoulders with the best athletes in the world, such as the Blitzboks who are their neighbours. The goal is to make the most of the facilities and the personnel in pursuit of excellence in everything they do.
What they have done wrong
There is always room for improvement in all areas of Stellies’ play. They haven’t been as consistent as they would have liked, while building a clear identity as a team in what they want to do and achieve remains a work in process. Losing their first two home matches at the start of the year when the aim was to cash in set the team back, but they bounced back strongly and could end up in the hunt for a top-eight finish.
Key player
Isaacs is the main man when it comes to scoring. The 29-year-old has seven goals to his name and is aiming to hit double figures. Fellow marksman Rayners, who will play for SuperSport United next season, has scored five goals and supplied seven assists. Moon completes the strike department and has netted three times. The trio have scored the bulk of the team’s 21 goals so far and will be key men in the remaining fixtures should the league resume.
Remaining Fixtures
Home: Golden Arrows, Cape Town City, Chippa United, AmaZulu FC Away: Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates Form: LLWLW