Sticking to their guns
For Chiefs clash, Ajax won’t temper with what’s been working for them
AJAX Cape Town have based their recent improved performances on a better shape and structure to the team – and head coach Stanley Menzo sees no reason to change anything for tomorrow night’s PSL clash with Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (8.15pm).
The Urban Warriors come off two confidence-boosting results from a week-long sojourn in Johannesburg. First up were champions Bidvest Wits, which ended in a hard-fought 0-0 draw, and then it was Chippa United, a match which the Capetonians won 1-0 with a superb goal from Thabo Mosadi.
Four points from two games is most certainly a major improvement, especially considering the erratic nature of Ajax’s season up to this stage. Now they head into their final fixture of 2017 – against a Chiefs side performing just as inconsistently – and Menzo is determined to do things the same way.
“I’m happy for the team,” said the former Ajax Amsterdam and Netherlands goalkeeper. “I’m happy their hard work and effort have been rewarded. The organisation and strategy were good against Wits and Chippa. The boys were great.
“Now, with Chiefs coming up, I think the feeling is there in the team. There is fight, and we know what we have to do. As I always tell the team, you can only do the things that you can do – that is all I ask of the players. If they do that, then the results will come.”
As for Chiefs tomorrow night, Menzo is ready for a tough challenge.
“Chiefs may be a bit inconsistent at the moment,” said the Ajax coach. “But they are a top team in the league. They have good players and we will have to be at our best. The approach will be the same as it was for the last two games. We will be organised and keep the shape. And, like the two previous games, we will try not to concede, that is always very important. In a strange way, sometimes defence is best for the attack.”
Ajax, however, suffered a major scare when influential young midfielder Grant Marge- man had to be carried off the field during a training session in Parow yesterday morning. The 19-year-old was the victim of crunching tackle, was immediately attended to by the club’s medical staff, and sat out the rest of the training session.
Menzo wasn’t, as yet, sure as to the extent of the injury and said he would wait for medical advice before making his final selection as to the composition of the travelling party to Durban..
“Grant got injured today. I don’t know if he will make it,” said Menzo. “If he doesn’t, I will have to make some choices.”